- Makes public copy of court order giving go-ahead to hold conference
THE new President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, who is also the National President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has promised that he will not take for granted the trust bestowed on him by members for electing him on Tuesday at the 12th Triennial Delegates Conference of the labour centre held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
He succeeds Comrade Quadri A. Olaleye who served for only one term, from 2019-2022.
Comrade Osifo, who was quoted in a press statement by TUC’s Deputy Secretary General, Comrade Nuhu A. Toro, also pledged to fight for the welfare of the masses as well as the protection of the interest of every Nigerian worker.
The statement listed other members of the new leadership of the centre to include the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Tommy Etim Okon (1st President), President of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), Comrade Jimoh Oyibo (3rd President), President of Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN), Alhaji (Dr) Musa Mohammed (Maitakobi 1) as Treasurer; Ex-Officio of Construction and Civil Senior Staff Association (CCESSA), Comrade Isaac Egbugara (Fin Sec.), President of Hotel and Personnel Senior Staff Association, Comrade Iyeh Williams (Trustee 2); President of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Comrade Samuel Omaji (Trustee 3), President Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Comrade Benedict Chika (Auditor I), President of National Union of Allied Health Professional, Comrade Ogbonna Obinna (Auditor 2), President of Textile Union, Comrade Alamotu Babatunde (PRO) and TUC Women Commission, Comrade Afusatu Shuaib (Chairperson).
The statement further stated that Comrade Osifo and his 14-member National Administrative Council (NAC) will pilot the affairs of the TUC for the next three years in according with the centre’s constitution.
“Comrade Osifo is a Mechanical Engineer and he has over 16 years’ illustrious career in the oil and Gas industry both in Schlumberger Nigeria Ltd and TotalEnergies Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd. He had served amongst others, as PENGASSAN Producers Forum Chairman, between 2016 – 2018.
“The Chairman of the National Delegates Conference Committee who was also the Returning Officer, Comrade Shehu Mohammed said, a total of 728 delegates participated in the election with Osifo pulling 688 votes to defeat his opponent, Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye who had 18 votes. Twenty-two votes were declared invalid,” Comrade Toro stated in the statement.
He also stated: “Comrade Osifo is a first class graduate of the University of Portsmouth and also an alumnus of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI). He holds a Master degree in Petroleum Engineering from Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
“Comrade Osifo is a member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) and Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE).”
While commending past leaders of TUC for laying a solid foundation on which the centre is thriving and promising to sustain the vision and even do more, Comrade Osifo also pledged to carry everyone along in his quest for a greater TUC while also assuring to initiate a platform to reconcile all aggrieved comrades.
Copy of court order giving go-ahead to hold conference now public
Comrade Toro also made available to National Record a copy of the order granted the TUC by the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court to proceed with its delegates conference which was restrained by the Lagos Division of the same court.
While the order by the Lagos Division of the NIC is dated July 6, 2022, the copy of the order obtained from the Abuja Division of the NIC is dated July 7, 2022 and signed by His Lordship, the Hon Justice O. A. Obaseki Osaghae.
The parties in the matter include Registered Trustees of PENGASSSAN as claimant and Registered Trustees of TUC as defendant.
Following preliminary procedures, Justice Osaghae ordered as follows:
“(1) This is a new matter. It is mentioned for the first time today.
“(2) Upon the agreement of the parties represented by their counsel, Adesina Oke for the claimant; and Emmanuel Ezeh for the defendant, the parties are hereby ordered to maintain the status quo ante at the National Delegate [sic] Conference coming up on the 19th and 20th July 2022; specifically that the conference and elections should be in accordance with the provisions of the existing constitution.
“(3) The case is adjourned to October 11, 2022 for hearing of the originating summons.”
Below is the certified true copy of the order:
