By Cajetan Mmuta
The crisis rocking the Anambra State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) got messier on Monday as a splitter group raised the alarm over plots to destabilize the workforce in the state.
Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Chinwe Orizu, stated this in her New Year Message to Anambra State Workers.
ThisNigeria investigation showed that a parallel NLC is being sponsored by ‘forces in the state’ to take up the leadership of the Congress in the state.
Orizu in her New Year Message to the workers said, “I bring fraternally and season’s greetings to the pragmatic and hardworking workers of Anambra State. I pray that the new year shall bring good tidings, blessings, and favor to every worker in the state.”
She lamented that “It is no longer news that I was handed over the mantle of leadership of NLC Anambra State Council as the new Chairperson by the immediate past Chairperson-Comrade Jerry Nubia.”
According to her “This handover to me was sequel to the retirement from the civil service by the former Chairperson after a meritorious service to the state and also in line with the provisions of NLC constitution and compliance with NLC National Secretariat directive.”
“I was handed over this mantle of leadership to complete his tenure which will expire in April 2023 pending when the next delegate conference will be conducted.”
“Comrade Jerry Nubia on the 12th of September 2021, during the meeting of State Administrative Council(SAC) ie all elected officers of NLC and State Executive Council(SEC) ie all SAC members and all Chairmen and Secretaries of all affiliate unions to NLC, officially informed the SEC-in-session that he has retired from the civil service.”
Orizu said, “The SAC and SEC unanimously resolved that Comrade Jerry Nnubia should hand over within 3 months from the date of the meeting to bring on board a successor who will pilot the affairs of the Congress for the remaining period of the tenure which will end in April 2023.”
She explained further that, “On 22nd December 2021, during State Executive Council(SEC) meeting, Comrade Orizu Chinwe, the current Chairperson of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) was unanimously chosen from among the four vice-chairmen by SEC in line with the provisions of NLC constitution and in adherence to the directive of the NLC National headquarters, Abuja, to take over as the NLC Chairperson Anambra State Council for the remaining tenure of outgoing chairman. The valedictory SEC meeting /handover ceremony was successfully done on the 22nd of December 2021 at the Geogold hotel Awka.”
“I want to use this platform to inform you all that our attention has been drawn to media reports making the rounds that a set of impostors and misguided elements masquerading as labor leaders have been sponsored to disorganize NLC in Anambra State and have been disseminating malicious and false information to the general public and especially to Anambra State Workers claiming fake Chairmanship and Secretary of NLC in the state.”
“We wish to seize this opportunity to request ndi Anambra State Workers and the general public to disregard the antics of these impostors and any misinformation peddled by them as they are desperate, illegal, misguided, and paid agents bent on mortgaging the interest of workers in the state for their personal and selfish interests.”
Orizu urged the general public, especially, Ndi Anambra workers to resist the evil and sinister motives of these fraudsters planning to hijack and mortgage their future and assured that “this administration shall assiduously work to ensure that the workers enjoy all the goodies of a diligent worker.”
She stated that “Our main interest is to fight for the rights and welfare of workers in the state. Once again, I wish all workers in Anambra State, a happy and prosperous new year.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the State had last year elected an interim Chairman, Humphrey Nwafor.
Nwafor, the state Chairman of, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), was returned unopposed in a by-election conducted at the council’s secretariat in Awka.
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Speaking at the end of the election, the returning officer, Igwebuike Jude, said that the by-election, which was a constitutional duty, followed the unanimous declaration of the seat of the chairman vacant.
Igwebuike, who is also the state Chairman of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, said the former NLC boss, Jerry Nubia, who had retired as a civil servant, seized to hold any position in the union, following the end of his tenure on September 16, 2021.
He said: “The State Executive Council met and declared the seat of the former chairman, Nubia, vacant following his retirement from the civil service.
“It is a constitutional provision and it states that after retirement, you cease to hold any position in the union.
“Nwafor will, however, complete Nnubia’s tenure, which is not less than 13 months.”
Delivering his acceptance speech, Nwafor pledged to run an all-inclusive administration and ensure implementation of the minimum wage.
But the outgone chairman, Nubia, described the election as illegal and unconstitutional.
