NLC to hold Okpebholo responsible if harm befalls Edo chapter caretaker committee

NLC to hold Okpebholo responsible if harm befalls Edo chapter caretaker committee

By Jeffrey Agbo

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it will hold Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, personally accountable if any harm comes to members of its soon-to-be constituted caretaker committee in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by its Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, the NLC alleged that the Edo State Government was plotting to disrupt the inauguration of the caretaker committee scheduled for Thursday, August 28, 2025, in Benin City.

According to the union, the dissolution of the former state council followed failed reconciliation efforts between the government-backed faction and Odion Olaye, the democratically elected chairperson, who was allegedly removed illegally by forces loyal to the state government.

The NLC explained that after exhausting efforts to reconcile both parties, it dissolved the council in line with its constitution and appointed a caretaker committee pending fresh elections. However, it accused government-backed groups of issuing threats against the committee, in violation of international labour standards and Nigerian labour laws that prohibit government interference in trade union affairs.

The Congress further claimed that the state government seized the keys to the NLC Secretariat in Benin and had issued threats to both caretaker members and officials sent to inaugurate them.

“Since the constitution of the caretaker committee, the government-backed group has threatened fire and brimstone in contravention of ILO instruments and the corpus of Labour Law that operations of trade unions should not be interfered with by government or employers.

“With the inauguration of the caretaker committee scheduled for Thursday, August, 28, 2025 in Benin City to which the government was invited, the key to the NLC Secretariat in Benin City has not only been seized by government, threats have been issued to members of the caretaker committee and those assigned by Congress to inaugurate them.

“We are dismayed by the hostile behaviour of the governor and want to state unambiguously that we shall personally hold him responsible if any of the caretaker committee members or those assigned to inaugurate them come to harm,” the statement read.

The NLC also alerted the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to what it described as “sinister motives and plans” by the governor. It criticised Okpebholo’s actions as a departure from Edo’s proud labour tradition, citing past leaders such as Pa Imoudu and former governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The union urged the governor to desist from meddling in its internal affairs, stressing: “We do not take instructions from him. A word is enough for the wise.”