By Raymond Akorede
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned a resolution of the Edo State House of Assembly urging the Congress to allow Bernard Jormah Egwahide to complete his tenure as Chairperson of the state council, describing the move as “gross interference” in trade union affairs.
The Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, in a statement on Wednesday, said the lawmakers had overstepped their bounds by attempting to wade into matters outside their jurisdiction.
“This resolution represents the height of ignorance and perhaps obscene obsequiousness,” Upah said. “Labour matters are on the Exclusive Legislative List and not within the remit of the State House of Assembly to legislate on.”
According to the NLC, Bernard Jormah Egwahide was not duly elected as council chairperson. Instead, Odion Olaye was elected to the position, supported by three vice chairpersons empowered to act in his absence. The union alleges that Olaye’s tenure was “frustrated halfway” by Edo State Governor Godwin Okpehbolo, an act the Congress described as “unlawful and unacceptable.”
“Even if, for the sake of argument, Olaye’s removal was lawful, the next in line of succession pending election ought not to have been the Auditor but the Vice Chairperson or other ranking executives,” Upah noted. “How come the Auditor, the least in rank, is being imposed by the Governor?”
The Congress maintained that neither the state government nor the Assembly has the constitutional power to appoint or elect officers for trade unions.
“The law is clear. This constitutes gross interference in the affairs of trade unions and a violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” the NLC declared.
The NLC advised the Assembly to focus on its constitutional responsibilities rather than “dabbling into jurisdictions over which it has no oversight.”
“The State House of Assembly is better advised to concentrate on securing its independence and carrying out its legislative duties,” Upah said.
Concluding, the NLC dismissed the Assembly’s resolution as “of no effect whatsoever.”
