MWUN seeks probe of NLC’s botched election

MEMBERS of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), at the weekend described last Thursday’s botched election of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as an embarrassment.

   In a statement signed on-behalf of MWUN by its President-General, Emmanuel Tony Nted, the union demanded for a thorough investigation into the alleged printing of multiple ballot papers with different serial numbers among others. 

   Nted who is a Vice President of NLC in the outgoing executive and who only returned to the country on Friday, a day after the botched election, insisted that all those directly and indirectly responsible for the alleged ballot papers problems must be severely punished to serve as deterrent to others.

    The 11th National Delegates Congress (NDC), of NLC which commenced on Monday, February 9, 2015, was Thursday morning, aborted during voting to elect a new set of leaders to run the affairs of Congress for the next four years, because of alleged multiple voting, multiple ballot papers with some candidates names appearing two or three times, while some candidates’ names did not appear in some of the ballot papers.

    There were also allegations that in some ballot papers where one of the presidential candidate name appeared, there was no serial number among other anomalies.

   The MWUN President-General said, “what happened on Thursday was very sad, a shame and a big embarrassment. I was not in the country during the conference, as I came in on Friday, I was briefed and I felt very bad. This is foreign in labour movement. I do not want to believe it was done because of desperation for power. I was even told that some unions brought only delegates from a section of the country. What sort of thing is that? In labour movement, something is definitely wrong. 

     We call for thorough investigation into this matter. Those responsible for the alleged printing of those ballot papers must not go unpunished. They should be brought to book and they must face severe sanctions. If they are secretariat staff, they should be dismissed and prosecuted. And if they are labour leaders, they should be expelled from NLC for giving labour a bad name. 

    We are supposed to be a watchdog to the society, fighting for the oppressed and upholding truth and justice. This is unacceptable; it is embarrassing and a show of shame. It must not be swept  under the carpet.”