The controversy surrounding the Leadership of the Edo State Branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress has taken a new dimension as both factions of the union have been disbanded by the national body, with a caretaker Committee Chairman inaugurated.
The inauguration saw the Zonal Coordinator of the Benin Zone of ASUU, Professor Monday Igbafen, emerging under a tense atmosphere was diismissed as a charade by one of the factional chairmen, Comrade Bernard Joman.
Edo State NLC has been factionalized since the inception of the current administration in the State, with Chief Odion Olaye on one side and Comrade Bernard Jomon on the other.
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The crisis grounded union activities in the state and, to a large extent, politicised them.
The situation attracted the intervention of the NLC National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to convene a peace meeting with both factions, and concluded that since there was no feasible resolution for now,the National body had no option but to set up a caretaker Committee
The decision did not go down well with the Bernard Jomon faction, which called for immediate election, and the Edo State House of Assembly also intervened through a resolution for the National body of the NLC to allow Bernard Jomon to complete his tenure.
However, their appeal fell on deaf ears when on Thursday, the national body of the NLC, against all odds, went ahead to inaugurate the Caretaker Committee Chairman, headed by the Zonal Coordinator, Benin Zone of ASUU, Professor Monday Igbafen.
Despite the police taking over the Secretariat of the NLC in Benin City earlier in the day, and the other venue being attempted to be used by the national delegates, an alternative venue was used for the swearing in of the caretaker Committee Chairman, which was coordinated by the representative of the NLC president, Oluwole Adeyeye
“I have directed the national President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to formally inaugurate you, Professor Monday Igbafen, as the caretaker Committee Chairman of Edo NLC, and you are to ensure normalcy returns to the chapter.”
Professor Monday Igbafen promised to implement the directive of the National body by restoring peace and preparing for an election in line with the dictates of the labour union’s constitution.
“With the directive of the president of NLC, I assure the union that I will do my best to ensure the election is held.”
Reacting to the development, one of the factional chairmen, in an interview, Benard Joman, described the exercise as a nullity, as it will not stand
“I am not aware if there was any election as far as I am concerned, I remain the NLC chairman in Edo State.”
However, Chief Odion Olaye, who spoke in a telephone interview, said his comments are reserved as he cannot be seen as going against the directive of the national body of the NLC
The public and workers are watching to see how the development will playout in the coming days.
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