The President of the National Industrial Court, (NIC) Justice Babatunde Adejumo yesterday Wednesday 24th of June 2015 in Lagos advocated amicable out-of-court settlement of the crisis of leadership rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) since the controversial 11th Delegates conferences of NLC held 12th March 2015 at Eagle Square Abuja and Special Delegates Conference of NLC held Thursday 19th March 2015 at the Mainland Hotel Lagos.
In the wake of the reconciliation moves by labour veterans led by the founding President of the NLC, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, Ayuba Wabba led-NLC had gone to NIC seeking the court to among others declare that the Special Delegates Conference of NLC where Comrade Joe Ajaero and others were elected as officers of Congress was not a Delegates Congress of the Nigeria Labour Congress as contemplated by the Constitution of the Nigeria Labour Congress 2011 and was therefore illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
Many labour observers including labour veterans perceived the hasty resort to court by Ayuba led group as an expression of bad faith more so that reconciliation process was under way.
The case came up for mention on Wednesday June 24 2015 at the National Industrial Court (NIC) Ikoyi, Lagos. As early as 7 am hundreds of supporters of respective rival trade unions stormed the court competing for space in and out of the court. The legal team of Ajaero-led NLC parades lawyers from Enobong Etteh’s and Nnamonso Ekanem’s chambers. While Chief G.A. Adetola-Kaseem, SAN, Aisha Aremu-Ogunlade (Mrs.), Ahmed Adetola Kaseem, PP: Gani Adetola Kaseem (SAN) among others are the counsels to Ayuba faction of the NLC.
After listening to Chief G.A. Adetola-Kaseem, lawyer to Ayuba group, Justice Adejumo in an admonition which lasted some 45 minutes urged labour unions to sustain mutual reconciliation instead of litigations that would further divide them.
According to the President of the Court, ordinary members of unions and the nation at large have high expectations of the labour movement given its historic role in the nation’s history.
Emphasizing the importance of labour in the development of the nation, Justice Adejumo stated that workers constitute the “..engine room of the economy” adding whatever the differences, a united NLC is better off than a divided one.
Justice Adejumo singled out Comrade Issa Aremu one of the 11 defendants served with originating sermons as a tested respected labour leader who can put his wealth of experience to resolve the leadership crisis. He said “… with the likes of Comrade Issa Aremu and others who are respected labour leaders in Nigeria, reconciliation should not be ignored”.
Justice Adejumo therefore urged the counsels to both parties to help in the reconciliation process.
Justice Adejumo however warned that NIC has the powers of conciliation in such matters as the internal dispute in the NLC. These powers he said are contained in section 20 of the National Industrial Court Act. According to him it is an implied duty of the court which may warrant the court to appoint a Trustee for the NLC. He therefore called on the counsels to the two parties to explore opportunities for reconciliation on a win-win basis.
The respected jurist stated that he made the call without prejudice to the case before the NIC.
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned until 8th October, 2015 hoping that the factions will use the period to find amicable and win-win solutions to the problem.
Meanwhile Comrade Oladele Hunsu, President, Textile Workers. Union has commended the “President of NIC for his plea for Reconciliation in place of litigation.
Hunsu in a statement Thursday said “We also hereby acknowledge the spirited effort by the highly respected labour veterans to reconcile both factions of the NLC following the discredited 11th Delegates Conference and Special Delegates Conference of NLC respectively.
“We call on labour leaders to take advantage of the admonition of the NIC to get united and resolve all outstanding issues and forge common unity to defend Nigerian workers against the worsening economic crisis.
