By Funmi Komolafe

Recent developments within the labour movement indeed the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,  gives one cause for concern especially when viewed against the backdrop of the NLC’s slogan of “ sustaining and deepening democracy”.

This edition of Labour Vanguard takes a look  at the contributions of the NLC to sustenance of democracy vis-a-vis its recent position; especially on an issue as crucial as the test of democracy within the Governors Forum.

For those who may not know, the 1986 May day speech of Comrade Ali Chiroma which coincided with the centenary anniversary of May Day remains unforgettable. Comrade Ali Chiroma reminded Nigerian workers that they cannot be apolitical.

He spoke of  “Unions in Politics, politics  in the unions”. The tempo was sustained by his successor, Paschal Bafyau who worked very hard to get a the Labour Party registered. This is not to say that the Imoudus, Wahab Goodlucks didn’t try to form a party for theworking class.

This brief historical perspective is just to remind the labour movement, indeed the Nigeria Labour Congress, of its history in relation to politics.

Surprisingly, the national executive council of the  NLC said of the imaginary crisis in the Governors’ Forum: “Congress has watched with keen interest the developments in the Governors’ Forum and wants to sound a note of caution.

President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right), with Labour leaders and Labour minister, Emeka Wogu (left)

While Congress notes that like any group of people, the governors have a right to organize themselves, it should be within the civilized norms of society. Congress therefore refuses to believe that Governors who are themselves beneficiaries of supposedly credible elections cannot organize a simple election among themselves, a class of 36.

This presupposes that something fundamentally must have gone wrong somewhere.Whatever it is, the governors and their fellow travelers in power should quickly fix it. As critical custodians of the peoples mandate and grand beneficiaries of our democracy, there are certain things governors must not be seen to be doing.

We at the Congress irrevocably stand for certain values which we will not compromise for anything. We are opposed to impunity at all levels and the undermining of national security and unity. We have respect for process and its outcome. We stand for justice. In the light of the foregoing, we call on our governors to:

Create value around as well as restore dignity to their office;

Get back to work instead of unnecessarily overheating the polity;

Not put in jeopardy our hard-earned democracy;

Respect the process and outcome of their election; and

Remember June 12.”.

Now the issues: One recalls vividly and (I covered ) the 1988 national delegates conference of the NLC held in Benin, the Edo state capital. Two factions claimed to have elected NLC presidents but everyone knew that the authentic delegates conference was the one held at Saidi Centre which elected Comrade Adamu Chiroma of Medical and Health Workers Union.

The then Democrats who claimed to have elected Takaya Shammang of the Electricity Workers Union, did not participate in the election at Saidi Centre, although a few votes were recorded for Shammag at Saidi Centre. This was unlike Jang and his supporters who participated, lost and claimed to have won.

With this brief background of NLC, one wonders why did the present leadership find it difficult to take a position on the NGF election. The NEC of NLC knows that there are 36 governors, votes were 35, not 37. Governor Amechi got 19 votes and Governor Jang got 16 votes. So what did the NLC NEC perceive as ‘something   fundamental  that  must have gone wrong somewhere?”.

An informed leadership of the NLC should know that even if some delegates walked out,  it would not in any way invalidate the election. In any case, no governor walked out.

If indeed,  as the NLC stated, “We at the Congress irrevocably stand for certain values which we will not compromise for anything. We are opposed to impunity at all levels and the undermining of national security and unity. We have respect for process and its outcome.

We stand for justice”,   it should have come out to commend those to be commended and  issue harsh words to those who  have failed to abide by the simple tenets of democracy. If truly, NLC has respect for a “process and its outcome”,  it should have been bold enough to recognize Governor Chibuke Rotimi Amechi as chairman of the Governors Forum. That is  the true and honest position. That is also the way to stand  for  justice.

What the NLC pushed out as  its communiqué, seemed to be one to please certain people in Aso Rock even without stating so. Or what does the NLC mean by, “we call on our governors to:

create value around as well as restore dignity to their office; Get back to work instead of unnecessarily overheating the polity; Not put in jeopardy our hard-earned democracy; Respect the process and outcome of their election.”

Who has failed to respect the outcome of the election? Who is overheating the polity? Organised labour cannot be seen to act like a parastatal of Aso Rock. Labour cannot afford it. At some point, the politicians would resolve their differences and labour would be left in the cold.

Can the leadership of NLC say before their colleagues in the international labour movement that they do not know who won an election where a candidate scored 19 and the other 16? Even at the ILC votes are taken , won or lost.

However, one felt a sigh of relief  when Edo state governor and former president of the NLC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole openly criticized  the NLC’s views on the Governors’ Forum election. That Oshiomhole spoke at the delegates conference of the Trade Unions Congress of Nigeria, TUC,  is a clear message not just to NLC but to the entire labour movement.

The historic roles played by the leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, during the June 12 political crisis earned the two unions the reputation they have today. Leaders of the trade unions and the labour centres must be seen to be serving the working class interest and not any other.

Speaking from both sides of the mouth cannot and will not benefit workers in any way. In any case, did the NLC take this ambivalent position, because  all the Governors have paid the national minimum wage, or is it because, they have all solved the problems of the working class.?

Your guess is as good as mine. The  sweat of the heroes of the labour movement must not be in vain.