Few minutes to the take off the 8th Quadrennial state delegates conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Abia State Council last week, the immediate past state vice chairman of the union, Comrade Chidozie C. Ebeniro was arrested by men of the Nigeria Police at the venue of the Congress.

However, he was released few hours later to join his colleagues for the Congress.

Speaking exclusively to The Renaissance News, TRN online, Comrade Ebeniro fingered the incumbent state chairman, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, adding “and if not, his agents”.

According to him, “my offence is that I am critical of some of our inactions”.

Obigwe, he said will retire next year, asking “why must he contest?”.

The state Labour VP regretted that Obigwe used NLC letter head to apply to the state government for extension of service, having retired in October, 2016.

He noted that at the expiration of the extension, Comrade Obigwe took up another appointment with his parent union, Medical and Health Workers Union, as Organizing Secretary, “to ensure his continued stay in office as NLC chairman and to contest for second term”.

He pointed out ” I we have integrity, he should have thrown in the towel because of his inadequacies. Even MHWU is not happy with him”.

On why Obigwe should arrest him, Ebeniro said “I advised him against contesting. Leadership (of NLC) in Abia needs a change in my opinion as the present leadership has failed Abia workers and never in the history of the state has workers been owed such arrears.

“We need strong Labour movement in the state to make government do what they are supposed to do”.

He advised Abia workers thus: “If you make the mistake of returning him, no one should complain as we have collectively not to have Labour in Abia”.

According to a vice chairmanship aspirant, Chris Okoro, men of the police were used to harass the Congress, adding, “information has it that it was on the command of Obigwe”.

He disclosed that at the State Administrative Council, SAC meeting a day earlier, Ebeniro had “pointed out several wrong doings of Obigwe as being selfish, does not carry members alonq, (as well as working for his) personal interest”.

The two, he said did not fight. “but today, he (Ebeniro) was whisked away by the police”.

He rated Obigwe poor in performance as the workers in the state did not benefit anything under his tenure.

He assured workers in the state that if a new administration comes in, “we will do more and will correct the anomalies” for better conditions.

The chairmanship aspirant challenging Obigwe, Eze Idima simply said “police arrested Ebeniro and later released him” and condemned the action.

Unconfirmed sources said the release of Ebeniro by the police was “after several calls” to the police.

Based on the scenario, Ebeniro abandoned the election and went home after the plenary session.

Obigwe later won the election for the second tenure.