A new President for the Nigerian Labour Con-gress (NLC) is expected to emerge today. Reports from the voting which continued late into the night in Abuja yesterday indicate that Abdulwaheed Umar, President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) is ahead in the race to replace Adams Oshiomhole. Fidelis Edeh of the Civil Service Workers Union is said to be trailing him.
Meanwhile, President Olusegun Oba-sanjo has said that the role of the NLC was critical to the success and sustainability of any meaningful reform process.
Represented by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Lawal, at the 9th Delegate Conference of the Congress in Abuja Thursday, Obasanjo said the NLC, being the voice of vision of the Nigerian worker, owes the nation and all workers the obligation of reinventing itself as relevant progressive institution, and a pro-active partner in Nigeria �s quest for democratic consolidation and national regeneration.
�Jointly, we must drive the vision of a new, stable, democratic and progressive Nigeria founded on the ideals of selfless service, transparency, accountability, and people-centred, God-fearing leadership�, he said.
Obasanjo commended the outgoing NLC President, Oshiomhole stressing that the relationship of government with labour during his tenure was challenging and beneficial.
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commis-sion (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu who was also at the Congress said that the country needed an organised group to confront corruption: �When good people come together they always win,� Adding that EFCC and labour should collaborate as the two are well position to shape the future of the country for good and throw out the fraudsters.
He added that this was necessary because democrahad been hijacked by fraudster. He commended the NLC for what they have done so far stressing that they needed to do a lot more because the country looks up to them as the people who create wealth but are cornered by few corrupt individuals.
�Apart from bad leadership, democracy has been hijacked by gangsters we should not allow them.
Democracy must not fail. NLC should develop a whistle blowing mechanism to expose the corrupt members of the society.
�We know those who fought for democracy, the Oshiomholes, the Sum-onus, the Ganis are the ones who fought. We need more of them at this critical period of our transition from one democracy to another�.
Feb172007