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...For a better society... Friday, September 24 2004 Vol 17 No.30 News Editorial Politics Opinion Foreign News Fashion Metro Sports Features Columnists View from America Business Money/Market Maritime Aviation Motoring Rail/Road Ruling can’t void NLC presidency --Labour leaders FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE IN spite of the Federal High Court judgement declaring the position of the president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) legally non-existent, Labour leaders said they would carry on as if there was no such ruling. NLC’s ally, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups, threw its weight behind the labour leaders’ position. The unionists declared that the office of the NLC president was a creation of the congress’s constitution and not of the Trade Unions Act which Justice Roseline Ukeje of the Federal High Court quoted. The office, they said, cannot be voided by the court. General secretary of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLABMPE), Mr. Emma Ugboaja, who is a member of the Congress’ National Executive Council (NEC), said it was unfortunate that such judgement could come from a Federal High Court. "How can a judge of the High Court deliver such judgement? The workers created the office of the NLC president in line with our constitution and elected Oshiomhole to occupy that office," he explained. "There are things a judge should take judicial notice of. It is only workers that could void that office and until then, that office to us remains and Oshiomhole the de facto president," he added. Speaking in the same vein, general secretary of the Food Workers Union (NUFBTE), Otunba Kazeem Adebayo, and his Construction Workers Union counterpart, Mr. Babatunde Liadi said the affiliates of the NLC remain solidly behind Mr. Oshiomhole and his presidency. They disclosed that the existence or otherwise of the NLC presidency or its occupier was outside the purview of the judge because "she is not a member of any of 29 affiliates trade unions who can talk about voiding that office." Spokesman of the Coalition of the Civil Society Groups, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, on his part, hinted that Justice Ukeje’s decision "can’t stand because it amounts to a judicial somersault." According to him, Section 33 of the Trade Unions Act gives the central labour organisation the right to have a constitution which in turn provides for the offices of its leaders including the presidency. � 2004 @ Champion Newspapers Limited (All Right Reserved). Powered By dnetsystems.net dnet�

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