Kaigama defeats Ogun to emerge TUC president

After a thorough process that lasted throughout the night, the National President of the Association of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, a worker of the Ministry of the Environment and Urban Development, Taraba State, has emerged as the new National President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
It was an election the elders of the TUC described as free and fair.
There were also international observers at the election venue.
The election, which started with delegates’ accreditation around 4pm on Friday, ended at exactly 4:30am on Saturday.
The contest was between Kaigama and Ogun State born National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Comrade Babatunde Ogun.
Kaigama got 356 votes to beat Ogun who got 314 votes.
The National President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and other Financial Institutions, Comrade Sunday Olusoji Salako, is Deputy President 1.
The President of the Construction union, Comrade Augustine Etaifo, emerged as Deputy President 2, with 334 votes, while the President of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, Comrade Bede Opara, emerged as Deputy President 3 with 345 votes.
Other officers of the TUC elected were Comrade Babatunde Abdulraman, the President, Food and Beverage Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, who got 335 to emerged the treasurer; Benjamin Okewu of the Air Transport Workers Union clinched the position of the Financial Secretary with 336.
No one contested with Comrade Balami Isaac David as the Public Relations Officer.
For the post of Auditor 1 and 2, Comrade Alalade Matthew and Ola Olagoke were victorious with 300 and 319 votes respectively.
While Comrade F.O. Faniran, Moshood O. Akinade and Rotimi Olarinde emerged as National Trustees of the congress, Oyinkan Olasanoye will lead the TUC Women Commission in the next three years.
ASSBIFI will be well represented in the decision making body of the congress in the next four years with the presence of Salako and Olasanoye, who is also 1st Deputy of ASSBIFI.
Following the amendment of the constitution of the congress, the immediate past President General, Comrade Peter Esele, will be the last president to be addressed as such.
From the tenure of Kaigama, the leaders of the TUC will be addressed as president except the constitution is amended again.
Former president of of PENGASSAN, Comrade Shina Luwoye, while addressing delegates after the election, said there was no losers in the election.
Luwoye urged all members to come together to build the congress and make the centre an envy to other Labour Centres throughout the world.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has congratulated Kaigama on his emergence as the president of the TUC.
A statement by Dr. Reuben Abati on Saturday said: “The President welcomes Mr. Kaigama’s declaration after his election that the TUC under his leadership will work with government and private sector employers for the benefit of workers and all Nigerians.
“President Jonathan and the Federal Government look forward to working with Mr. Kaigama and his new team at the helm of the TUC to fulfil this commitment and enhance cordial industrial relations in Nigeria in furtherance of the present administration’s agenda for national transformation.
“The President believes that with Mr. Kaigama’s notable antecedents, excellent credentials as a labour leader and experience as President of the large Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, he is fully equipped to succeed as President of one of the two major conglomerations of trade unions in the country.
“He extends his best wishes for a fruitful and successful tenure to the new TUC President.”