By DADA AYOKHAI
The Edo State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Comrade Odion Olaiye has emerged as the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, an election dogged by controversies bordering on compromise, rigging, and imposition
Comrade Odion Olaiye was the acting chairman of the state NLC before his recent elevation.
According to the NLC constitution, Comrade Olaiye is expected to serve a three-year tenure and is eminently qualified to seek re-election for another term of three years
Some of the delegates to the Congress, however, queried the process leading to the emergence of the new state chairman of the NLC, saying it was greatly flawed.
They further contended that Comrade Olaiye does not enjoy the full backing of the workers, adding he was “imposed” on the state NLC by the national body in collusion with the state government.
Recall that this medium had earlier reported how the state government was intensifying efforts to install Comrade Olaiye as the substantive chairman of the state NLC.
After that report, there were no denials by either the state government or any of its agents.
Five other chairmanship candidates from different labour unions who slugged it out with Comrade Olaiye staged a walkout during the Congress.
The grudge of the G5 members was that the process had been compromised, and went on to further demand a level playing field for all the candidates in the chairmanship race in order to give the process a semblance of transparency
Also, the President of the National union of local government workers NULGE, Comrade Lazarus Adolor, one of the candidates for the top position, disclosed to newsmen that the NLC team which came from Abuja to conduct the Congress disqualified him and three others without any form of screening.
He said before his disqualification, some top state government officials had approached him and the others to drop their quest and support Comrade Olaiye, but they rebuffed them, hence the action taken by the NLC team led by Comrade Olanrewaju, did not come as a surprise
In addition, he stated that there was a court order against the conduct of Congress but that the NLC completely disregarded it and proceeded to hold the Congress under tight security.
