NLC appoints caretaker committee for Edo council

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has inaugurated a caretaker committee to manage the affairs of its Edo chapter until fresh elections were conducted.

This followed the dissolution of the Edo Council due to what NLC described as escalating conflicts between the elected State Council Chairman, Odion Olaye, and a rival faction allegedly backed by the state government.

Mr Benson Upah, acting General Secretary of the NLC, announced the dissolution in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Upah, the dissolution followed failed efforts to reconcile the leadership disputes.

“Congress, after going to great lengths to reconcile the two groups in the interest of workers in the state to no avail, was left with no option but to dissolve the entire council, in line with the provisions of the Congress constitution,” he said.

Upah also accused the Edo Government of seizing the keys to the NLC Secretariat in Benin and threatening caretaker committee members ahead of their scheduled inauguration on Aug. 28, 2025.

He advised the governor to ensure the safety of the caretaker committee members and NLC officials involved in the inauguration, emphasising that their protection was a matter of responsibility.

According to him, both the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) have been alerted.

He advised that the government should refrain from interfering in trade union matters, noting that such actions were contrary to both Nigerian labour laws and international.

Recalling the legacy of notable Edo labour leaders such as Pa Imoudu and Adams Oshiomhole, Upah advised the governor to uphold that tradition by acknowledging the autonomy of labour unions and avoiding further interference.

(NAN)