Fresh election to hold on March 12

By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and immediate past President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday blamed the leadership of NLC for the botched conference to elect officers to lead the body for the next four years.

A fresh election will now hold on March 12, 2015, at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Oshiomhole, who spoke while addressing members of the National Executive Council, NEC, insisted that constitutional means must be followed to restore the dignity and integrity of the Congress.

Recall that the 11th National Delegates Congress, NDC, of NLC which commenced on Monday, February 9, 2015, was Thursday, aborted during voting to elect a new set of leaders to run the affairs of the Congress for the next four years, because of alleged multiple voting, multiple ballot papers with some candidates names appearing two or three times, while some candidates’ names did not appear in some of the ballot papers.

A source at the meeting told Vanguard that the respected former labour leader told NLC leadership that it ought to have consulted stakeholders and put things in proper perspectives to avoid the problems and embarrassment for the movement.

Oshiomhole was said to have faulted the reopening of the nomination at the floor of the conference, saying it contributed immensely to the failure of the conference.

According to him, when things were not done properly, errors were bound to arise as seen in the ballot papers, urging the leadership to be bold enough to accept its mistake and apologize.

President of NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, was said to have apologized to the house.

The Edo State Governor was said to have however told them that they now had the opportunity to correct the problem, insisting that constitutional means must be followed to restore the integrity and dignity of the Congress.

Oshiomhole contended that the overall interest of the labour movement should supersede individual interest.

It was gathered that besides Oshiomhole, other elders of the Congress like Comrades Hassan Sumonu and Aliyu Dangiwa, pioneer President and General Secretary of NLC, Ali Ciroma, John Odah also attended the NEC meeting and played a major role in calming frayed nerves emanating from the botched election.

Meanwhile, NEC has rescheduled a fresh election for March 12, to conclude the aborted 11 NDC.

Other decisions reached at the NEC, Vanguard gathered, were that while the Credentials Committee, CC, would still conduct the election, the two presidential candidates would send two representatives each to the CC.

President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who stepped down for Joe Ajaero, to contest for Deputy President, would also sent a representative to the CC.

The General Secretary of NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, will be the secretary of the committee.

Speaking after the meeting, Comrade Oshiomhole said that what happened was not an attempt by anybody to manipulate the election, but error caused as a result of the last minutes decision to reopen nomination and accommodate hitherto disqualified candidates.

He said the development did not erode the integrity of the labour movement and its commitment in participatory democracy as it was an error.

One of the past leaders, Alhaji Hassan Sumonu said that they were embarrassed as past leaders over what happened.