The Nigeria labour congress (NLC) will tomorrow get a new president after elections by its 44 affiliate unions slated for today. Barring any unforeseen circumstance, Ayuba Wabba, president of the medical and health workers union is favourite to clinch the position.

 

Sending chills down the spine of the NMA is also the fact that Alhaji Lawal Dutsina, a one time National president of the National association of Nigerian nurses and midwives (NANNM) is also favourite to clinch the position of the NLC Vice president. 

 

A medical Doctor who spoke anonymously to a Medicalworld Nigeria correspondent insisted that the "Doctors are not in any supremacy battle with members of JOHESU, rather it was only a group of mischievous individuals who were trying to blur the lines between job description and job responsibilities". We would not allow these disgruntled elements to abuse the office of the NLC Presidency.

 

You would recall that in July 2014, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) led by Ayuba Wabba had dragged the NMA to an industrial court  challenging the status of the NMA as a trade union.

 

in a suit number NICN/IB/95/2014, filed at the Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan, the health workers prayed the court for declaration that the NMA” is not a trade union organization, its associates and allies are not trade organizations.

 

While all may seem calm at the moment, We must not forget that Members of the Joint health unions of Nigeria only suspended their over 11 weeks strike action. Tensions are rife with speculations over how the JOHESU leadership would take the fight to the NMA under the cover of the gigantic NLC. 

 

For now, it seems the tide may have turned against Medical Doctor as they prepare to engage JOHESU comprising over 15 unions and also a JOHESU Lead-NLC with 44 affiliate unions.

 

You would recall that the NLC was instrumental in forcing a new minimum wage of N18,000 for Nigerian workers and also forced the government to reduce the price of fuel from N147 to N97 in January 2012 when government attempted to remove oil subsidy. How this new JOHESU LEAD-NLC would force the governments hands in terms of circulars meant to be harvested, Only time would tell.