Alhaji Issa Ore, the chairman, Kwara chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), on Thursday emerged as the new chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kwara.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ore defeated Dr Davies Ehindero of the Agriculture and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), to form a new executive council alongside others, who were returned unopposed.
Alhaji Najeem Yasin, the Returning Officer for the state while declaring the result at the close of the 12th Quadrennial State Delegates Conference in Ilorin, said that Ore polled 253 votes to defeat Ehindero, who garnered 65 votes.
Yasin, who is also the National Deputy President of the NLC, said that there were 307 accredited delegates from 19 industrial unions that participated in the exercise.
The NLC leader commended the delegates for their peaceful conduct throughout the period of the exercise.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the new executive to deliver and make the state council of the labour union a robust and progressive one.
Yasin, who also is the National President of the NURTW, expressed delight that for the second time in the history of the country, an official of the transport union emerged a state chairman of the NLC.
He noted that the victory was for him and all members of the transport union in the country.
NAN reports that other members of the new executives are Mr Muritala Saheed and Yusuf Ayinla as Vice Chairman I and II respectively; Rafiu Adeniran as Treasurer.
Others are Salihu Idris and Owoeye Olusina as Auditor I and II respectively, while Yomi Ibiwoye and Idowu Oladipo were elected Ex-officio I and II.
In his acceptance speech, the new NLC chairman in Kwara promised to carry every member along in the scheme of things as every hand would be on deck to tackle all the outstanding workers’ issues in the state.
“As the conference has come and gone, there is no winner and there is no loser as this is an indivisible congress where all of us are of the same family.
“I promise that I will be making necessary consultation before taking decision on workers’ demands and problems, and the congress under my leadership will not take any irrational decision on issues,” he said.
Ore noted that the N30, 000 new minimum wage was a must pay to all categories of workers in the state, local government and pensioners alike without disparity or amputation of any sort.