The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress wish to announce to the world that the strain within the ranks of Organized Labour in Nigeria has been resolved. The Nigeria Labour Congress led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni has FULLY RECONCILED with the United Labour Congress (ULC) led by Comrade Joe Ajaero.
Nigerians would recall that after the conduct of leadership election in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the 10th National Delegates Conference in 2015, some misunderstanding arose between some affiliates of Congress. Efforts by Labour veterans such as the pioneer President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu and a former President of the NLC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to resolve the issue were inconclusive.
Committed to the bond of brotherhood and solidarity which the labour movement all over the world is known for, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the leadership of the ULC kept aglow the light of peaceful relations towards resolving their misunderstanding as the two leadership resorted to direct discussions aimed at ending the rift.
The outcome of this quiet but sustained effort at making the peace is the fruit of the reconciliation that we are celebrating today. It is to the credit of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress that the bond of solidarity was never broken even at the height of misunderstanding. The NLC and ULC always cooperated and collaborated in defending Nigerian workers. This was the experience during negotiations for the new national minimum wage.
It is remarkable that in the dark furnace that severely tested our commitment and selfless disposition to our movement’s age long tradition of “Nigerian workers first”, we have managed to come out as gold, better and brighter. This is the story that overshadows the fleeting pains of the mosquito bites of our misunderstanding in the night.
With this reconciliation, the leadership and structures of the United Labour Congress have been reintegrated into the Nigeria Labour Congress. In the reconciliation Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two leadership, the modus operandi for this re-integration and ancillary issues are spelt out to the satisfaction of both parties.
We commend the leadership of our affiliate unions, state councils and our statutory organs up to the National Delegates Conference whose mandate and support provided the ladder to this milestone reconciliation. We thank our rank and file and the social partners for their counsel, altruism and support during the dark hour.
Fellow workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress has emerged out of this crisis stronger. We have gained more affiliate unions to our movement, we have gained more experience, and we have built more bridges. Going forward from this platform of unity, we are ready now more than ever before to confront and overcome the myriad of challenges facing Nigerian workers – economic, social, and political.
United We Stand in Solidarity!
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni Comrade Joe Ajaero
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