Leadership crisis tears NLC apart

Acting General Secretary of the Congress, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, has been sent packing as the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Labour Congress assumed a new dimension on Sunday.

Our correspondent learnt that Mr. Chris Uyot was also appointed on an acting capacity.

Uyot, who is expected to take over in June, is the current head of Media at the headquarters of the NLC in Abuja.

It was learnt that Lakemfa ran into trouble with entrenched interest in the Nigeria Labour Movement because of his hard position on the issue of the total removal of the fuel subsidy in the country.

He was said to be too rigid and even disobedient to respected former leaders of the NLC contacted by the Presidency to intervene in the anti-subsidy removal demonstration

The source said two unsuceesful attempts were made in January and March to remove him.

It was further learnt that Lakemfa would have been removed from office in May but for the killing former private secretary to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Oyerinde Olaitan, who was billed to resume as the General Secretary of the Congress.

Oyerinde, a Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, was on sabbatical to Edo State.

It was learnt that several national officials of the NLC were of the view that Lakemka should be removed.

Lakemfa became the acting secretary of the NLC following the removal of Mr. John Odah.

Odah, who leads the integrity Group of Labour Unions, is challenging his removal in court, describing it as a violation as of the rights of employees which should be sacred to the NLC.

The crisis however assumed a fresh dimension when Lakemfa raised the alarm on May 13  that top functionaries of the Federal Government were out to divide the labour movement through the establishment of a parallel labour centre.

He said those behind the planned new labour centre billed for registration in July, were also those behind the anti-labour law in the National Assembly, allegedly meant to whittle down the influence of the NLC.

Although the Minister of Labour and  Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, denied knowledge of such a move, the Integrity Group issued a statement in which  the group stared that the NLC had become unworthy of association and that a new labour centre was inevitable.

When our correspondent attempted to reach the NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar, on the telephone, he did not pick the call.

Omar also did not respond to a text message sent to him to confirm if Lakemfa had been removed or not.

Also, efforts to reach Lakemfa and Uyot for their comments were fruitless as the calls placed to their telephones indicated that they were switched off.

Nigeria Labour Congress on Saturday restated its opposition to the increase in electricity tariff with effect from June 1.

The NLC, in a statement at the end of its National Administrative Council meeting, also called on labour unions across the country to be resolute in the demand for a comprehensive restructuring of the downstream oil sector through construction of refineries.

The statement read in part, “It (NLC) also resolved to oppose any increase in energy tariff without improved power supply,  while it calls on all affiliate unions  to continue the demand for a holistic restructuring of the downstream petroleum sector through  building of the new refineries and self sufficiency in products supply.

“The NLC salutes Mr. President’s directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation to prosecute all those found culpable in the recent report of the House of Representatives on the probe of the oil subsidy regime in the country.”

“The assurance by Mr. President that there will be no sacred cows in the investigation and prosecution of the corruption in the downstream sector of the oil industry is laudable and deserves commendation.

“The Nigeria labour movement and indeed all Nigerians, look forward to a thorough and diligent prosecution by the Attorney-General and the security agencies in order to disabuse the minds of the watching public and to ensure that the process is not a hollow ritual.

“We  urge  the President to ignore advisers that are determined to set him on an unnecessary collision course with the people over policies that undermine prosperity and worsen the country’s poverty level.

“Any attempt to contemplate fuel price increase when those who looted the subsidy fund walk around as untouchables will be contemptuous of the people and an invitation to anarchy.”

NLC president, Alhaji Abdulwahed Omar, who signed the statement also said contrary to reports, the congress remains indivisible, stressing that issues  involving the Non-Academic Union and National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers were not beyond internal resolution.

He added that the congress did not take any decision to engage in a media war with NASU and NUHPDW, adding though that the reaction of the General Secretary of NASU, Mr. Peters Adeyemi, and the President of NUHPSW were regrettable.

Omar said, “Congress noted that at no time was there a decision to engage any of    the affiliate unions  of the NLC,  including great unions like NASU and (NUHPSW) in unnecessary media exchanges and war of attrition over issues that are purely internal and clearly surmountable.