Ex-NUPENG Chief Kicks as NLC Moves against New Labour Group
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A former national President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Williams Akporeha, has kicked against a directive by the Nigeria Labour
Former NUPENG leader and current National Coordinator General of the Working People United (WoPU) group, Williams Akporeha, has vehemently opposed a directive from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urging affiliate unions to boycott WoPU's inauguration. Akporeha argues that the NLC's move is anti-democratic and infringes on the constitutional right of Nigerian workers to freedom of association.
In a joint statement with WoPU General Secretary, Moses Oladapo, the pair assert that WoPU's directive is a direct attempt to coerce workers into supporting a specific political candidate, President Bola Tinubu, for re-election. They maintain that Section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution guarantees workers the right to assemble freely and associate with organisations of their choice, including trade unions and political parties.
The group also cites International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, emphasizing that workers should be free to establish or join organisations without facing intimidation or discrimination. WoPU contends that the NLC's directive is an affront to both the Nigerian Constitution and international labour standards, and that no single entity can dictate the political affiliations of Nigerian workers.
The union accuses certain NLC leaders of attempting to force workers to back the Labour Party (LP) and Tinubu, labeling such actions as incompatible with the principles of freedom of association.
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