2019: NLC to provide alternative political platform – Odah

Former General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade John Odah, has said the working people in Nigeria would provide alternative to the bourgeois political programmes in the country.
Comrade Odah who is currently the Executive Secretary of Organisation of Trade Unions in West Africa (OTUWA), while speaking ahead of the celebration of NLC at 40, said with the potential of trade unions in Nigeria, it can give leadership to political landscape in the country.
“The current leadership of the NLC has spent two years to resolve the crisis so that it can be placed in the position to play active and effective politics as 2019 comes nearer.
“It’s true that given the potentials that trade workers have, we ought to be producing real alternative to bourgeois political parties.
It is hoped that when the current challenges with the labour party is over, it would be strong enough to play that vanguard and effective role by trying to bring about quality political parties in this country that will have a programme that is distinct from the programmes of the bourgeois political parties.”
He further said since the creation of NLC in 1978, it has played key roles in the political system in Nigeria.
“If you look at the history of NLC from 78, it has made a considerable progress. By the time it came on board in February, 1978, the politics around the Second Republic was very much in the air, and so NLC was concerned with trying to consolidate.
“Subsequently its massage was that its members who wish to play politics should go and that they would provide support. By 1989, the Bafyau leadership of the NLC moved a step in the direction that Imodu always wanted, that is active involvement of congress in politics by forming the labour party which even though it came 6th on the list of political parties, then NEC as it was called, recommended for registration but the Babangida government didn’t register any, instead formed two parties which was SDP and NRC .
“After that in 2002-2003 NLC leadership under Adams revive the idea of Labour Party, then the party for Social Democracy was formed and inaugurated in 2004 which later changed its name to Labour Party.
“It was on the platform of Labour Party in collaboration with the then ACN that Adams launched his own campaign for governorship in Edo and he won the election. You recall also that in Ondo State, Mimiko ran almost 8 years on the platform of Labour Party.
“We also have some Senators and members of the House of Representatives. So, it is not exactly very correct that trade unions have not played active roles in politics. Of course, the party unfortunately went into crisis.”