As NLC prepares for its 11th Delegates’ Conference first week of February, major stakeholders that include majority of the 43 industrial unions affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have cried out over an alleged plot to derail NLC elections.They have also observed that the success or failure of the forthcoming NLC Delegates Conference has great implications for the 2015 Nigeria’s general elections.
Though NLC prides itself as a reputed democratic organization with vibrant internal democratic process, the stakeholders said has become necessary to raise the alarm now about the pressure from some anti-democratic forces within the movement to derail and undermine the entire democratic process.
As part of the preparations for the 11th Delegates Conference, the Congress had called for nominations for elective offices at the 11th Delegates Conference via its letter to affiliate unions dated December 12, 2014 signed by the General Secretary of NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson. Provisional list of Delegates for the 11th Delegates Conference have also been circulated to affiliate unions. Relevant committees have been constituted. Completed nominations forms for elective positions have also been submitted by the respective affiliate unions in keeping to the constitutional deadline of Sunday January 4, 2015.
In compliance with Article 29 (4) of the NLC Constitution, the List Of Contestants Duly Cleared For NLC Delegates Conference Elections was published in major national dailies by the Credentials Committee on Tuesday January 6, 2015 signed by the chairman Dr. Nasir Fagge Isa who is also the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, Secretary, the Secretary who is also HOD, Admin, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). With the list of contestants out and in the public domain, campaigns among industrial unions have since commenced cutting across the private and public sector unions divide.
Notwithstanding these statutory preparations, some stakeholders have observed that undue pressure is being mounted on NLC Secretariat to jettison the published list of contestants by the credentials committee.
At a press conference yesterday Comrade Issa Aremu, Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) who is unopposed as one of the Deputy Presidents of NLC in the coming election based on the list of contestants already published by the NLC, said “any attempt to reopen the list of nomination will be unprecedented in the history of NLC’s Delegates Conferences and is deemed illegal, unconstitutional and certainly unacceptable.” He said “it is like saying INEC should reopen nomination process after buffeting us with the menu of presidential candidates cleared. It is like setting the nation ablaze.”
He noted that Article 29 (2) and (3) of the NLC Constitution is very clear on the conditions that could warrant reopening of the list of contestants duly cleared by the Credentials Committee namely; Article 29 (2) “Should a nominee die before the election, his/her nominator/affiliated union shall reserve the right to re-nominate, regardless of anything in the article and Standing Orders.” Article 29 (3) “Should an affiliated union withdraws its nominees before the election and leave insufficient candidates to fill the existing number of seats or additional seats created, fresh nominations shall be accepted regardless of anything in this Article and the Standing Order.”
He called on the Comrade Abdulwahed Omar-led NLC to keep to the spirit and content of a democratic NLC Constitution and avoid any action capable of creating crisis in the NLC on the eve of the historic 11th Delegates Conference. “As a product of credible, free and fair election, the masses of Nigerian workers expect the NLC President to keep to his oath of office by ensuring that the coming election is held in accordance with the sprit and content of the Constitution of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Any action in the contrary will be deemed illegal, unconstitutional and unacceptable.”
Aremu urged the NLC to obey its own rules, According to him “NLC’s voice demanding for free and fair election in Nigeria cannot be respected if it does not obey its öwn rules. “He that seeks equity must do equity and must come with clean hands.”
It will be recalled that Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was formed by Nigerian workers in 1978 and has successfully conducted 10 Delegates Conferences. Of the 10 Delegates’ conferences, three (3) were special Delegates Conferences as fall-outs of military disruption of independent and autonomous democratic union process; 1977/78 (Murtala/Obasanjo military regime), 1988 (IBB regime) and 1999 (AbdulSalami regime), following Abacha’s dissolution of the NLC executive in 1994.
NLC Delegates Conference is significant to the working class because it features agenda setting, assessment of the state of Congress, proposed constitutional amendments and debate and adoption of Motions on critical issues affecting the workers namely wages, security of work, employment, pension, health and safety among others.
The highpoint of the Delegates Conference is election of the new 17 National Officers that include; President, three (3) Deputy Presidents, five (5) Vice Presidents (1 reserved for Chairperson of National Women Commission of Congress), Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Trustee, three (3) Auditors and two (2) Ex-Officio.
Consequently, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar after successful 2-term in office as NLC President is expected to step down to pave the way for election of new President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Speaking on the 2015 elections,Aremu said “2015 marks another transition in Nigeria. I am personally proud to witness this historic democratic process. Having witnessed military dictatorships with its restrictions on liberty and freedom and violation of trade unions and workers rights, it is exciting to be part of the ongoing democratic transitions at Federal, states and legislative levels. We commend all Nigerians for abiding faith with democracy for almost two decades. With close to 70 million voters (almost the population of Egypt!) Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa and among the top 10 democracies. With almost four milestones of four Federal and State elections as well as hundreds of local government elections, Nigeria is truly democracy destination.
“We refuse to see political doom. On the contrary, we see democratic hope. All we need is to consolidate on our democratic gains and minimize democratic losses through zero level tolerance to rigging and violence. We also commend notable statesmen like Chief Emeka Anyoku who initiated the Abuja peace accord.
“Less than a month, we shall be having another national and state elections. The democratic enthusiasm compares with the 1993 election during which SDP and NRC just like PDP and challenging APC are rightly mobilizing the electorate. We hope Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will reproduce its recent good work in Ekiti and Osun at the national levels. Votes must just count. After experience of four transitions from one democratic federal government to another, we have no doubt that 2015 will be a success. All we need are; the credibility of the electoral register, independence of INEC, the democratic behavior of all the contestants. Let there be contest of ideas and policies not battle and conquest of contestants.
“This election is not to give jobs to President Goodluck or General Muhammed Buhari. We guess they have something to do if they are not candidates. The forthcoming election is about us, Nigerians; uninterrupted electricity supply, physical security of lives and property, social and economic security through job creation, stable exchange rate of the Naira, lower inflation.
He said further,“These elections are also about Nigeria’s position in the world. Yes all politics are local. However in a globalized world with imported terrorism like Boko Haram and Al quada, serious presidential candidates should also show knowledge of the global political economy. What happens to our foreign policy which to us is all time low? Nigerians must also task the candidates on their vision for Nigeria on topical global issues such as world trade, fairer distribution of world resources, Africans in Diaspora, seamless war in Southern Sudan, independence of the Palestinian State.
“We call on INEC not to disappoint Nigerians. INEC should quickly resolve the issue of permanent voters card across the States and other issues capable of undermining the electoral process.
Also Comrade Aremu picked holes in a reported statement by NLC President Omar.”Lastly the voters must “shine” their face. We must not trade our future for some stolen money. We hope the President of NLC, Abdul Waheed Omar must have been misquoted when he reportedly said voters should collect money offered by politicians in lieu of their votes and still make their choice. Voters should not in anyway trade their PVCs or TVCs for money. PVCs or TVCs are for education, uninterrupted power supply, industrialization, mass decent jobs, improved minimum wages, retention of labour on the exclusive list of the constitution, regular payment of salaries, health and safety at work, security of jobs and above all sustainable pension after retirement. No amount of money offered by politicians should be collected by voters in lieu of good Governance. Workers deserve good salaries and pension NOT handouts by politicians who give out stolen common wealth. Labour creates wealth, not to collect bribes for votes but make sure wealth created is evenly distributed through good governance and tangibles as spelt out earlier. Money culture weakens democracy and should not be encouraged.
