The crisis rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Imo State chapter has taken a new dimension as two different factions are now laying claims to the leadership of the labour union in the state.
A faction of the labour union had recently through Mr Nicholas Uba and Ogu Maduabuchi said to had moved and passed a vote of no confidence on the executive led by Austin Chilakpu.
They were said to have installed one Ndubuisi Ucheghara to replace him and after the installation, marched to the Imo State Government House with their supporters (many who were said to be non labour members)
The governor who received them at the government house pledged to work with the new leadership to guarantee the welfare of Imo workers. He however warned them against being confrontational with the government, an action he said will always have adverse consequences.
Ucheghara, while fielding questions from newsmen, said Chilakpu was unable to guarantee the welfare of Imo workers, reason for the vote of no confidence. He attributed the inability of the dethroned executive to guarantee worker’s welfare to its confrontational approach, positing that all over the world, labour unions exist just to compliment the government and not to confront it on issues.
However in a reaction through a press release issued by the leadership of different unions that make up the organized labour in the state, made it clear that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) executive, Imo State chapter, led by Comrade Austin Chilakpu was very much intact.
The union however berated the Imo State Government led by Senator Hope Uzodimma for dissipating much energy in sponsoring some persons who are unknown to the organized labour to lead thugs who unleash mayhem on the secretariat of the union in the state, an energy the union said the governor should have invested in paying thousands of workers and pensioners who are owed several months arrears of their salaries.
The press release alleged that Mr. Nicholas Uba and Ogu Maduabuchi who were sponsored by the state government, led the hoodlums who looted the secretariat of the organized labour and carted away documents belonging to the union.
