The crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has taken a new dimension as the national leadership of the union has queried the presidents of five affiliates over the alleged continuous locking of the State’s secretariat of the union.
DAILY POST reports that the five affiliates are the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, and Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU).
Others are Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Technical And Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and National Union of Public Service Reportorial And Secretarial Workers of Nigeria (NUPSRAW).
The query dated September 2, 2025 was signed by the President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, the General Secretary and Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji, Treasurer,
The letters were titled, “Act of gross misconduct, betrayal and urgent demand for disciplinary action against your errant officer in Edo State”.
The query letters which have the same content, alleged that the state chairmen of the affiliate body worked actively with others to put the state Secretariat of Congress under lock and key.
Part of the letter read: “We bring you fraternal greetings from the national headquarters of Congress and to draw your attention to the continuing act of supreme treachery and insurrection by your Chairman in Edo state.
“He has worked actively with others to put the state Secretariat of Congress under lock and key.
“This brazen act is a direct and contemptuous defiance of the explicit decisions and directives of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NLC emanating from its meeting of 13th August, 2025.
“This letter serves as a formal query to your union as the officer who perpetrated this act is not just a member of your union but was sponsored by you to contest for office in Congress”.
The NLC national leadership demanded that the president of the affected unions should immediately initiate and severe disciplinary proceedings against the state chairmen of the affiliate union concerned.
It said the directive is in line with the affected union’s constitution and the broader principles of the NLC.
It also added that the disciplinary proceedings must include their immediate suspension from all union activities pending the outcome of a disciplinary committee.
The NLC national leadership also directed the presidents of the affected unions to compel its chairmen in the state for the immediate and unconditional return of all keys of the State Secretariat of the various unions to the duly recognized State Administrative Committee or officials designated by the National Secretariat.
It opined that the various unions’ silence in the face of “this provocation may be construed in bad light.”
“We demand immediate action on the receipt of this letter to acknowledge these demands and keep us informed of the steps you have taken in this direction”, it added.
The affected affiliate chairmen of the union are Comrade Bernard Ajobiewe, State Chairman of NUT, Comrade Ogbeide Osagie, state chairman of MHWUN and Comrade Kingsley Ireotoi, the State chairman of NUPSRAW.
Others include Comrade Godwin Oisamaiye, chairman of Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), who also doubled as the state chairman of the Joint Service Negotiation Council, JNC, Comrade Bernard Joman Egwakhide, state chairman of AUPCTRE, who is also the factional chairman of NLC in the state.
NLC queries 5 affiliate union presidents over continuous locking of Edo secretariat
