Crisis hits NLC as two chairmen emerge in Ondo

Crisis has rocked the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as two persons are now laying claim to the leadership of the union.

Comrade Victor Amoko and Comrade Olapade Ademola, who are fighting for the chairmanship position of the NLC in the state.

Ademola had been elected as the chairman at a special meeting of the NLC State Executive Council (SEC) on Thursday.

Ademola’s election was attended by 22 affiliate unions and was presided over by the NLC vice-chairperson, Comrade Busola Adewumi.

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However, members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) boycotted the election which produced Ademola.

The election, according to the affiliate unions, was because Amoko had retired from service.

But in a swift reaction, Amoko, who is a member of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), said he remained the Ondo NLC Chairman because he was still in active service.

He said that the government approved the extension of service for teachers in the state but noted that some leaders of the union kicked and said he would not be NLC Chairman again while in extended service.

“I am not retired. In Ondo, the governor granted an elongation of service of which I am a beneficiary. They said they would not allow me to use the elongation as the NLC chairman.

“I still pay my dues during this time and it is the payment of dues that makes me an NLC member. They wrote to the NLC national body on my issue but no reply. I am still the chairman.

“I have not received any letter to tell me I have been replaced. I know the government still recognised me as the NLC chairman,” he said.

However, the other affiliates unions which included the (NUT) and the (NULGE) which boycotted the meeting where Ademola was elected have declared the election as null and void.

The unions insisted that Amoko remained Ondo NLC chairman as spelt out in the union’s constitution.

Ondo NULGE President, Comrade Federick Akinrinola, who spoke on behalf of the unions, said the election of Ademola was an aberration and violation of the NLC constitution.

Akinrinola said the 300 affiliate unions would not recognise Ademola as its chairman.

“Our demand is that the kangaroo election is illegal. We are totally against the illegality. It is an aberration.

“It is not a matter of bye-election but constitution. Who can hold forth in the absence of the chairman? It is the vice chairman.

“The election is illegal and we will not recognise the new chairman. Other affiliates will not recognise him. The national body of NLC was not present in their kangaroo election.

“If they do not do the needful. The NUT and NULGE and other affiliates will leave the NLC.

“Their antics is that Amoko should go on retirement but former President (Muhammadu) Buhari approved service elongation for teachers and the Ondo State government has adopted it.

“We still have the NLC Chairman which is a well-structured union throughout the federation. The constitution stated clearly that in the absence of the chairman, only the vice chairman can summon a SEC meeting.

“The person who summons that is vice chairman, NLC Women Wing. The woman is not eligible. Since the NULGE, NUT and other affiliates know that the meeting was not properly summoned, we decided to boycott the meeting.”