The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has sued for calm among members of the union in the face of the latest threat to its unity.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Wabba promised that the leadership of the union would do all within its power to preserve the unity of the country’s labour movement.
Wabba spoke in reaction to the formation by some labour leaders of a parallel body known as the United Labour Congress.
Promoters of the ULC, who announced their plans in Lagos on Saturday, elected an executive with Joe Ajaero, the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, as President.
Wabba said that Ajaero and Igwe Achese, the President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Worker, who emerged Deputy President of ULC, were behind the breakaway attempt.
Wabba said: “The congress will like to assure our members across the country and the general public that the leadership of the NLC is committed to the unity of the working class in the country notwithstanding the latest declaration by Ajaero and Achese.
“We shall do everything within our power to preserve the unity and coherence of the labour movement which was handed down to us by our forebears in the movement.
“The congress wish to assure all our members including those of NUEE, NUPENG and others listed as having attended the alleged launch of the new centre that the NLC will continue to provide protection for them.
“We will ensure that their leaders do not, out of their consuming ambition to be leaders of a ‘national centre’, lead them into the wilderness.”
The NLC president also vowed to ensure that no member was pulled out of the congress without their consent.
He said that the relevant organs of the NLC would soon meet to review the latest challenge posed to the unity of the congress.
