NLC Crisis Deepens As Factional President Emerges

General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees
(NUEE), Joe Ajaero, was yesterday elected the factional leader of the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at a special delegates conference held
in Lagos.

Though the group had earlier fixed Saturday, March 21, for the special
delegate sconference, it later decided to hold it yesterday. It said
the change was to forestall disruption of the parallel conference by
its opponents.

The group claimed 22 unions including Electricity Workers Union,
Nigerian Textile Workers Union and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and
Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), among others participated in the
delegate conference.

The unions opposed the results of the election that produced Ayuba
Wabba president of the NLC at the 11th delegate conference held at the
Eagle Square in Abuja last week.

The election yesterday has deepened the crisis rocking NLC, as the
group went ahead to form a parallel labour centre.

The parallel executive members elected at yesterday's conference,
include Joe Ajaero (President), Issa Aremu, who was former vice
president of NLC (deputy president) and Igwe Achese, (deputy
president 2), Kasumu Kadiri, Kelly Ogbaloi and Yashi Yahaya as vice
presidents.

The twist in the election however, was the adoption of other officers
elected unopposed at the Abuja conference and had been part of the
team.

In his acceptance speech, Ajaero reeled out his plans and programmes
for workers, promising to overhaul NLC.

He commended the delegates for the confidence reposed in him, saying
the former President of NLC, Abdulwahed Omar failed in all areas.
--Daily Sun