Ajaero-led ULC may return to NLC by June

THERE is a strong indication that the faction of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that left the congress due to crisis that characterized its 2015 National Delegates’ Conference may return to the fold of NLC, latest by June.

The NLC had just organised its 2019 National Delegates’ Conference, which went on smoothly; as all the contestants for the different positions were unopposed.

Following the crisis that characterized the NLC 2015 National Delegates’ Conference, some of its affiliates, led by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), left the congress to form the United Labour Congress (ULC).

Different efforts made by the congress and the previous leaders of NLC, which include the first President of NLC, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu and a former President and former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is now the Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), were unsuccessful.

However, following its 2019 successful delegates’ conference, recents efforts are beginning to yield fruits.

The National Treasurer of NLC and the President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comd. Ibrahim Khaleel, who spoke with Labour Today on the issue said the Ajaero-led group may most likely return to the NLC before June; adding that before the end of the tenure of the last leadership, the congress succeeded  to bring all the aggrieved affiliates to the negotiation table and are still discussing.

Khaleel acknowledged that the centre became weaker due to the faction, a development he said has also put the labour movement entirely in the country in shamble.

“But I want to assure you that before the end of the tenure of the last leadership, we succeeded tremendously in trying to bring all the aggrieved affiliates to the negotiation table and we are still discussing, and before June, hopefully, there will be a very clear agreement and understanding and this people are likely to come back.” Khaleel said.

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The NULGE President said: “I believe strongly that the last four years was success even though it was very rough for the leadership. It was very rough because of the lack of cohesion between the leadership and the affiliates, and that created a serious crack, serious division to the extent that an integral part of the NLC tried to pull out of the congress. They attempted to establish their own centre.

“That cannot be seen as a strength because as a labour movement, our strength lies in our unity. Why do we need another labour centre after having our various unions? It is to join forces and face our common enemy; and who is our common enemy in this case? In this case it is the government and employers; because they always struggle to get more to their sides. It is only through this instrument that we will be able to protect the interest of the common working class.

“So if by whatever reason, some of the leadership decided to pull out of the centre, certainly the centre becomes weaker and that was exactly what put the labour movement entirely in the country in shamble.”

Buttressing his point, Khaleel pointed out that before the end of the 2019 delegates’ conference held recently, one of the strong aggrieved unions, the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers, came back to the fold of NLC.