The observance of this year’s May Day celebration in Edo State appeared to have split the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Whereas the national leadership of NLC has asked members of its Edo State Chapter to commemorate the 2025 May Day independently in their respective union offices, there was another letter, directing workers to attend a governor’s parade on May 1st, 2025.
However, a statement signed by Deputy General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Ismail Bello, urged members in Edo State to ignore any directive to attend the parade being planned by the state government on May 1st.
The statement said the attention of labour movement has been drawn, “to a duplicitous and unauthorized circular purportedly issued by an individual claiming to be the “Acting State Secretary” of the NLC Edo State Council, directing workers to attend a Governor’s parade on May 1st, 2025.
“We categorically state as follows: Our earlier directive (Ref: 22nd April 2025) remains valid. Affiliates in Edo State are to commemorate the 2025 May Day independently in their respective union offices, in line with Congress’s efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state council.
“The NLC has no official position known as “Acting State Secretary”. The individual behind this circular is an impostor, and his motives are highly questionable. We urge workers and the public to disregard this fraudulent document. He clearly neither works for the NLC nor for the workers.
“We reiterate that Comrade Bernard Joman Egwakhide is not known in any of our statutes or records as the Chairman of NLC in Edo state. When there is a change in the components of NLC’s Edo State council leadership, members of the public and our social partners would be informed accordingly.”
NLC reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the Edo State Council crisis and ensuring a united, worker-centric celebration of May Day.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
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