Fresh face-off in the making between the Edo State Government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the union’s intention to impose a caretaker committee in the state on Thursday, pending fresh elections.
The Edo State House of Assembly condemned the NLC National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, during its Wednesday plenary for attempting to impose leaders on the state chapter, and such an action warned to compromise peace and stability.
The lawmakers, in their resolution, urged the NLC leadership to work with Comrade Bernard Eguakhide, who was introduced as a rallying figure acceptable to workers in Edo. They also faulted the national body for conspiring with the former chairman, Odion Olaye, for being alleged to have taken partisan stands at the last governorship election. Olaye was reported to have threatened that Edo would “burn” should the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lose the election.
The motion, tabled by the Majority Leader, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, was seconded by other members en masse, who insisted that the labor sector of the state has continued to be peaceful under the chairmanship of Eguakhide. The House subsequently urged Ajaero to put the planned change of leadership on hold in the spirit of peace.
But the NLC leadership did not give in. In a statement signed by Acting National Secretary, Benson Upah, the Congress attributed the delay in swearing in the caretaker committee to the Edo State Government for blocking efforts through refusal to hand over keys to NLC Secretariat in Benin City.
Upah explained that in the dissolution of the Edo State Council and the creation of a caretaker committee, due process was adhered to, including consultation with a joint committee between the NLC and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi. He went on to add that the move was also spurred on by Governor Monday Okpebholo’s refusal to conform with Olaye as state chairman.
“With the swearing in of the caretaker committee set to hold on Thursday, August 28, 2025, in Benin City an occasion the government was invited to keys to the NLC Secretariat have been taken over, and the members of the caretaker team as well as those saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the process have been intimidated,” Upah claimed.
The move is a harbinger of a conflict between the Edo State Government and the NLC and raises issues on the stability of the state’s labour relations.
