A factional President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joseph Ajaero, has attacked his counterpart, Ayuba Wabba, accusing him of creating confusion in the labour movement.
Ajaero accused Wabba of sending operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other security agencies after other union leaders in the country.
In a letter addressed to Wabba and made available to one of our correspondents on Wednesday, Ajaero alleged that Wabba had invited security agencies to hunt labour leaders in the country.
According to him, the use of state powers to address labour issues rather than employing industrial relations strategies “is at best self-defeating and we can say very destructive.”
He said the plight of Nigerian workers should be the major concern to union leaders.
Ajaero added, “A true labour leader at this time ought to have exercised caution and soberly reflect as we are doing on the best way to resolve the longstanding issues within the family rather than resorting to self-help.
“A true leader should be worried about the state of Nigerian workers and deeply concerned about the increasing cries of deprivation and humongous suffering among the masses that truly look up to us for leadership out of this present quagmire.
“Trying to use any unconventional instrument of governance with the boast that their leadership has primordial affinity with yourself is a testament of deep frustration and cowardice.
“Introducing ethnic sentiment into the affairs of trade unions and the movement in general is the height of sabotage.”
Ajaero doubted the moral standing of Wabba, which informed his alleged decision to send anti-graft agencies after leaders of other unions.
He added, “Inviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or other security agencies through proxies, as a leverage to hunt labour leaders in Nigeria, will not work.
“We are also concerned that rather than seek clarification on your ignominious and illegal roles in your union, the Medical and Health Workers Union, your seeming dark activities in the Kriston-Lally affair in the congress; the labour transport, especially the management of the N3bn loan for buses from the last administration; and eventually the billion left in the congress’ accounts, you are trying to use magnifying glasses to look for skeletons in the cupboards of the leadership of other unions.”
The NLC broke into two factions following the declaration of a former President of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Wabba, as the elected president of the congress at the 11th delegates conference in Abuja on February 12, 2015.
Some aggrieved affiliates, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the National Union of Electricity Employees, rejected the outcome of the election.
The aggrieved unions held a parallel conference in Lagos on March 20 which produced Ajaero as the leader of another faction of the congress.
Moves by past NLC leaders and a reconciliatory committee, headed by Hassan Sunmonu, to reunite the warring parties had been futile.
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