From: Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki
The face-off between the Ebonyi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and its chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, took a different dimension, on Wednesday, when the labour union suspended Nwafor for allegedly involving in partisan politics and for deceiving the labour movement in the state.
The state’s NLC Vice Chairman, Comrade Leonard Nkah, was nominated to act as the chairman of the union pending the conclusion of investigations.
The new Acting Chairman of the union, Comrade Nkah, who briefed journalists on behalf of the union, after a meeting of the union at its state office, in Abakaliki, said that the suspended Chairman incurred several infractions in the discharge of his official functions.
Flanked by all the executive members and all chairmen and officials of all the affiliate unions of the associations, Ukah said that the suspension of the chairman became imperative in order to sanitise and stabilise the union in the state for the benefit of all members.
Giving more insights on the reasons for the Nwafor’s suspension, Ukah explained that the suspended chairman abandoned the mandate of his office in pursuit of personal aggrandizement to the detriment of the union and its members in the state.
He accused the suspended chairman of “openly engaging in partisan politics such as nominating persons for political appointments which he said was against the constitution of the union”.
He also alleged that the embattled suspended chairman was causing division in the union, deceiving members as well as diverting funds meant for the union into his personal accounts.
According to Ukah, “The state chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, has been suspended indefinitely from office and therefore ceases to represent the congress in that capacity as the chairman while he faces full scale investigation.
“In his stead, Comrade Leonard Nkah, state Vice Chairman has been unanimously nominated into the position as the Acting State Chairman of NLC, Ebonyi State Council, with immediate effect. In view of the above, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor is hereby directed to surrender all congress property and monies in his possession to the new AG State Chairman of NLC within 7 days”
“For the avoidance of doubt, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor was suspended indefinitely from office for the following reasons: failure to account for all the monthly stipends and subventions received on behalf of the congress from the state government and other sources on Month by Month basis. Failure to account for all the monies received in respect of Democracy Days, Independence Days and Workers Days in the state.