After the fiasco eight years ago over the general elections that saw him leading a faction, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, became the new President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in grand style, becoming the first in recent year’s to mount the number one office of organised labour in Nigeria without a contest.
Ajaero, who was elected the President of the body, unopposed, would be replacing the incumbent, Ayuba Wabba, with whom he locked horns with in 2015 in an election that was first disrupted on February 12, 2015 and rescheduled to March 14, from where Wabba, of the Medical and Health Workers Union, emerged.
A factional election held in Lagos on Lagos 20, had seen Ajaegbo, returned unopposed, alongside two Deputy Presidents – the National President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Igwe Achese, and General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Issa Aremu.
But the reconciliation effort, in which the new NLC boss, reverted to his position, saw him, finally emerging at the top position during the Opening Ceremony of 13th National Delegates Conference (NDC) of NLC held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
News Express, quotes Emeka Kalu, National Vice President (South-East), Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), one of the delegates at the event as saying: “History is already being made here. This is the first time a President of the Nigeria Labour Congress will be elected as a consensus candidate.”
