Zonal Coordinator of the Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Monday Igbafen was on Thursday sworn-in as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Edo State Chapter.
Prof. Igbafen who is the
Zonal Coordinator of the Zone which is made up of nine universities in Edo, Delta and Ondo states, emergence came after the infighting between factions loyal to the Edo State government and the national leadership of the NLC.
It was gathered that NLC leaders had gathered at the UNIBEN ASUU Secretariat, Ugbowo campus for the inauguration but put it off due to security report.
Following the development, the inauguration, however, held at another venue in Benin , the Edo State capital and Prof. Monday Igbafen was successfully sworn-in amid cheers.
Peeved by the development police operatives sealed off the Edo State secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) otherwise known as the Adams Oshiomhole Labour House, just as the main gate of the University of Benin was beefed up with police personnel.
There was heavy security presence at the Labour House and the UNIBEN main gate apparently to bar inauguration of the Caretaker Committee of the Edo NLC.
Some NLC leaders, who pleaded anonymity and set to attend the inauguration at the Labour House, expressed regret that they could not access the secretariat.
“I felt embarrassed about the whole thing. How can the police barricade the Labour House when there is no war. It is Labour issue. They should allow Labour to settle the issues themselves. “
