Crisis is currently rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress, Edo State Chapter, as the factional chairman, Comrade Bernard Jorman Egwekhide, and the Acting State Secretary, Comrade Kingsley Ireotoi, have refuted alleged invasion of the State Secretariat by the police , while Comrade Odion Olaye has laid claim to the leadership of the chapter.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday petitioned Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged invasion of its secretariat in Edo State and the confiscation of its property.
In separate letters addressed to the Governor and the IGP, the NLC, through its General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, informed them of a communiqué issued during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on December 18, 2024, in Owerri, Imo State. The communiqué gave the police until January 8, 2025, to vacate the office and return all seized property to avoid a confrontation with organized labour.
A statement jointly signed by Egwekhide and Ireotoi, described the allegations as false, misleading, and baseless.
The statement said at no point were police officers used to force entry into the Labour House. Instead, the police officers seen in a video shared by Comrade Odion Olaye, were stationed at the premises upon the request of the Congress leadership to safeguard the building and its properties.
“The Edo State Government has never engaged in any acts of vandalism or intimidation against labour unions or
their properties. We believe such allegations are intended to tarnish the image of the state government and sow unnecessary discord between the government and the labour unions,” the statement read.The Edo NLC urged the national secretariat to mandate Odion Olaye to provide evidence to substantiate its claims, stressing the need to avoid unfounded accusations that could strain the positive relationship between the state government and the labour community.
Reacting, Odion said Bernard Jorman Egwekhide is not the chairman of the NLC ,Edo State and that he has no right to sign a statement on behalf of NLC , Edo State Chapter.
He said.
“Bernard Jorman is not even a leader, he cannot be a leader in NLC , NLC is a constituted body, you should know that as a journalist, somebody cannot just come because there is change in government in the State and said he wants to change the leadership of NLC . For what? Is that how union is being run? I am the authentic chairman of NLC in Edo State, I have my four years to stay. I was elected on the 7th of March, 2023 , my tenure expires on the 6th of March ,2027. I remain the authentic chairman. Bernard Jorman is only playing politics with himself, he said he is APC man, and because government has changed,so he wants to be chairman, he was never elected, I was the one that was elected. ” He said.
