By Amos Aar
BENUE State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have reacted to an alleged vote of no confidence passed on its respective leaderships and dissolution of the councils by Benue Workers’ Congress, and asked the general public to disregard the news.
In a phone interview with National Record on Thursday, NLC State Secretary, Comrade Joshua Abimiku, described the group as faceless and their action as baseless.
“The vote of no confidence did not emanate from the State Council of the Nigerian Labour Congress and we have warned those who perpetrated such act to desist from it.
“On Tuesday, the State Executive Council (SEC) met at the state secretariat of the NLC and the members of SEC passed the vote of confidence on the chairman and there was nothing like dissolution of the State Council of the Nigerian Labour Congress.
“So, all those rumors are baseless propaganda, it doesn’t hold water at all”, Comrade Abimiku debunked the claim.
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He also availed National Record a copy of the communiqué issued at the end of the NLC State Executive Council’s meeting held on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and jointly signed by its chairman, Comrade Terungwa Igbe, Levi Terna Akuma – 1st Vice Chairman, Emmanuel Nyianshima – 2nd Vice Chairman, Winifred Mwuese Iorhule – 3rd Vice Chairman, himself as Secretary, Esther Akpagher – Treasurer, Joshua Ekpenta – Auditor I, Adole Francis – Auditor II, Joy Itodo – secretary, women committee, Rabi Tijani – Ex-officio 1 and Bridget Mbakaaun- Ex-officio II.
The Benue Workers’ Congress had in an unsigned communiqué issued at the end of its Congress held at IBB Square, Makurdi on July 23, 2023 passed a vote of no confidence on the Comrade Terungwa Igbe-led council and announced his replacement with Comrade Moses Terlumun as Chairman while Kachi Terwase Douglas, John Baaki and Unalegh Francis were members.
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In the communiqué, Benue Workers’ Congress alleged that the state leadership of the NLC under Comrade Igbe has distanced itself from the congress by refusing to hold congress meetings for members to bare their minds on issues affecting them.
They also accused the NLC state leadership of failing to protect their interest and making them lose their benefits such as death benefit, leave bonus, first 28 days, non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage among other issues bordering on their welfare.
Meanwhile, National Record has gathered that the state council of the NLC has set up a 5-man committee headed by Comrade Terlumun Gajir of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi chapter, to investigate alleged anti-union activities by some of its members.
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In the same vein, the State Executive Council (SEC) of the TUC, in a communiqué signed by its state secretary, Comrade James Tyokase, at the end of their emergency meeting in Makurdi expressed satisfaction with the leadership of Comrade Gideon Akaa and his executive.
They expressed disenchantment over the purported dissolution of TUC state council by the Benue Workers’ Congress, saying the group lacked powers to have done that.
TUC SEC disowned Benue Workers’ Congress, saying they are not members of the union.
