The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has urged the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to meddle in its internal crises.

Kayode Agbeyangi, NURTW acting general secretary, said this in his address at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Agbeyangi alleged that the recent outbreak of violence at the NURTW national secretariat was due to the interference of the NLC.

“The NLC took a one-sided decision that further threatened our effort to unite all interests and move the union forward. It is very sad and unfortunate that the umbrella body of workers that is expected to protect the welfare and rights of all workers has turned itself into a tool used for an outbreak of violence and favouritism,” NURTW alleged.

The transport union added, “Also the flagrant abuse of constitutional provisions of the union by attempting to impose the erstwhile President Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa on the union, whose tenure expired on August 28,” he said.

The NURTW called on the Joe Ajaero-led NLC to discard their bias and ethnic sentiments towards the former general secretary, urging the NLC to refrain from blackmailing the transport union.

“What is expected of the congress at this time is to support, without rancour, the ongoing process of organising a statutory National Delegates’ Conference of the NURTW as stipulated by the union constitution,” said NURTW.

The statement also mentioned that the NLC and other relevant agencies were duly informed through official correspondences about resolutions taken.

“We believe the Congress will be honourable enough to support the peaceful process and to align with the established legal framework and international standards governing industrial relations. That is what the Congress claims to uphold, towards ensuring industrial harmony in the union and Nigeria at large,” said the NURTW.

It noted that in the interest of peace, justice, and fair play, the NLC should “give a chance to the board of trustees of the union to resolve the union crises internally as enshrined in its constitution,” disclosing that the caretaker committee would prepare ground to conduct a credible conference across the zones of the NURTW on October 5 due to the inability of the past administration to convene a zonal delegates’ conference.

The statement also noted that the inauguration of the national officers would be held on October 25, commending the former NURTW president, Najeem Yasin, for ensuring that the union crises were amicably resolved.

Mr Ajaero said the NLC would not join issues with any group outside the legitimate fold of the NLC.

“We have alerted the whole world that our leadership in NURTW has been cloned. The cloned leadership is also threatening to attack the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). I don’t want us to join issues with unknown quantities,” Mr Ajaero said.

(NAN)