Ajaero becomes NLC President; Buhari welcomes emergence, urges partnership

By Joan Nwagwu

Abuja, Feb. 8, 2023,

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday swore-in new executives, with Mr. Joe Ajaero as the new president to lead the workers for the next four years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ajaero, former General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), was voted on consensus at the 13th NLC’s National Delegates Conference in Abuja.

In a swift statement, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated Ajaero on his emergence as the new president of the NLC and hailed the National Executive Committee of the NLC on the success of the Congress that produced the new leadership.

NAN also reports that Ajaero took over the NLC leadership from Ayuba Wabba, who served between 2015 and 2023.

In his acceptance speech, the new NLC president said that the executives were committed to pursuing the interest and desires of workers and the entire Nigerians.

He promised that his leadership would speak for the millions of Nigerians and also seek a platform to lift them out of poverty.

“We, therefore, pledge our loyalty to the NLC, workers, the Nigerian people and the country. Our thoughts and actions shall be propelled by this avowal,” he said.

He said that his leadership would pursue a new national minimum wage law that would take into consideration the objective reality of the socio-economic situation and expand its reach to capture more workers.

According to him, the wage review law will be sought through the national labour advisory council, to ensure that all loopholes exploited by workplace partners to restrict the efforts of making workplaces more decent compliance are blocked.

“We urge all employers of labour who have unsettled issues with their workers and unions to immediately resolve them to avoid our intervention,” he said.

Ajaero urged the government to review the privatisation policy on electricity sector as it was mired in corruption.

Other members of the executive include Prince Adewale Adeyanju, Deputy National President; Mr. Audu Amber, 2nd Deputy National President; Mr. Kabiru Sani, also a National Deputy President.

Ambali Olatunji was elected the National Treasurer; Benjamin Anthony, Vice President; Mr. Steve Okoro, Vice President; Mr. Michael Nnachi, Vice President; Mr. Olawole Sunday, Vice President; Mr. Marwan Adamu, Financial Secretary.

Others are, Mr. Williams Akporeha, National Trustee; and three Internal Auditors, Mr. Babatunde Olatunji, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim and Haruna Ibrahim; as well as two ex-officio members.