MWUN Election Crisis: Group Plans Split, Court Stops Labour Ministry Over Constitution Gazette 

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  Nted Increases Electoral Districts in defiance  

• 6 Illegal Members Attend NEC/ Special Delegates Conference

 

The crisis surrounding the forthcoming National Delegate Conference (NDC) of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has taken a frightening twist as more Union members have written petitions to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, against the President General of the Union, Comrade Tony Nted for allegedly manipulating the creation of new electoral districts  to enthrone Comrade Adewale Adeyanju as his successor.

Also, an aggrieved member of the Union, Comrade Sunday Osho, who has been at the forefront of members seeking justice has obtained an injunction from Federal High Court, Lagos restraining the Registrar of Trade Unions, from sending the amended Union’s constitution for gazette.

Already, some aggrieved members have warned against forcing out a splinter group, a move that could end the body, MWUN following the outcome of the next NDC.  A member confided in MMS plus that this would be the last resort in event of any ugly situation as envisaged.

In a recent petition letter titled “Save MWUN’s Soul Petition” from Okwudili Alagbu & Company, solicitors for Comrade Sunday Osho, aggrieved members of the union lambasted the President General, for championing the creation of new electoral districts which has increased the dockworkers districts by five to boost chances of Comrade Adewale Adeyanju who is also from the dockworkers branch.

The President General was also accused of violating the unwritten accord which says that the position of President General of MWUN should be rotated among the four branches that make up MWUN.

MWUN is an amalgam of former trade unions in distinctive sectors namely; the Nigerian Ports Authority branch, Dockworkers branch, Shipping, Clearing and Forwarding and Courier branch and the Seamen, NIWA, Water transport branch.

Nted’s peddling of the Constitution Review Committee is said to have led to the creation of new electoral districts for dockworkers which has increased the dockworkers districts by five (5) to reach a total of fifteen (15) while the more populated NPA branch remained fourteen (14). This has been highlighted as one of the ploys initiated by the President General to ensure that Comrade Adewale Adeyanju from the dockworkers district succeeds him.

The new questionable districts under the dockworkers branch are; Akwa-Ibom District comprising the Oron Jetty unit, Itu Jetty unit, Ibiono Jetty unit, Utaka Jetty unit, Nwana Iba Jetty unit; Central Pools District Warri comprising Pools staff in Warri Port Harcourt, Onne Calabar, Koko and Oghara; AMS District carved out of the present INTELS/AMS District in Onne; Apapa Port District III to comprise, Micura Unit, Operation/Truck unit, Staff unit and Drivers unit; and the Tin Can Island Port District made up of Sifax unit, Ilutex unit, Mac Banadot unit, Good Intention unit, Salih unit and Satff unit.

However, the creation of these new electoral districts violates the Rule 12 of the extant constitution which stipulates that “No new district shall be approved or recognized unless it is able to generate not less than two hundred naira (N200,000) union dues per month and such district must have done so for the past one year”.

The newly created districts did not meet any of these criteria, subsequently there was uproar at the Central Working Committee session when the draft was presented and the Committee did not approve the draft.

Subsequently, in the petition, concerned union members have urged the Registrar of Trade Unions in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment not to approve the draft copy of the amended constitution but to uphold the majority decision at the delegates’ conference and suspend constitutional amendment until elections are concluded.

“The President General’s desperate efforts to foist a strange constitution on the union is an attempt to rig or manipulate the forthcoming general election of the union which will trigger off a crisis that would be very difficult to contain” the letter said.

Tony Nted is also believed to have campaigned for the draft to be brought up at the NEC/ Special Delegates Conference where the draft was also rejected amid more dissenting voices and objections on the same issues that made the Central Working Committee decline approval.

The NEC/ Special Delegates Conference was attended by six (6) unqualified persons alleged to have been hired by the President General. They are; Comrade Edema J. Emmanuel (Dockyard), Comrade Abidoye Akintayo (Security), Comrade Fagbemi O. Kolawale (Tin Can), Comrade Bakare A. (Tin Can), Comrade Igbinovia O. Daniel (Engineering) and Comrade Martins Onoja (Roro).

The tension in MWUN is reaching the climax as the delegate conference draws near. The union is divided along ethnic, justice and mercantile lines. While some members want justice and have resorted to writing petitions to unveil the worms in Tony Nted’s administration, others remain driven by ethnic considerations.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has instructed the relevant agencies in the maritime industry to be at alert against any form of security breach arising from the election, billed to take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in March, 2017.