The leadership of the newly launched National Consultative Front, NCFront, has applauded the reconciliation and merger of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and United Labour Congress, ULC.
It described the development as historic.
The group said the merger, coming at a very crucial and decisive moment of the struggle of the Nigerian masses , was not only heartwarming but strengthened the moral basis of the Nigerian working class necessary for engaging the ever present challenges in the world of Labour and among allied masses.
The merger, according to the group, had shown that with resilience and open mind, positive ends could always be achieved.
It said the schism within the organised labour movement, while it lasted, was worrisome to all progressive minded Nigerians as it allegedly enabled the ruling class to activate her divide and rule games primed at weakening the solidarity of the productive forces of the country.
The statement issued by the NCFront Public Affairs Bureau, Mallam Dr Tanko Yunusa, reads in part:
“With this very cheering merger, it is our hope in the NCFront that valuable lessons would have been learnt going forward by all the forces of progress and mechanisms put in place to foreclose any such future occurrences as they are not in the best interest of the working and ordinary peoples.
“Historically, the Nigerian Labour movement has always been in the forefront of popular mass action for rescuing our dear country from the precipice each time self serving political leadership pushed our country to that point. This is, therefore a major reason why the NCFront is excited at this current reconciliation in the Nigerian Labour Movement as there is strength in the unity of our Labour Movement at a time like this, when the interest of the working people and ordinary Nigerians are being gravely threatened.
“The NCFront therefore salutes the spirit and courage that enabled this historic merger, while we also acknowledge the positive roles played by the NLC team ably led by its president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba,mni and that of the UCL ably led by its former president (now Deputy President of NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.”
