The Rivers State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is now rippled with crisis as the incumbent chairperson, Beatrice Itubo ,insists on gunning for second term in office even after she has retired from service about six months ago.

Some affiliate unions in the NLC had vowed to challenge her ambition in court.

A labour leader, Belema Brown, of the Medical and Health Workers Union, has accused the NLC chairperson of staying beyond her tenure.

According to him, ‘’I don’t think it’s right for Beatrice Itubo to contest for that seat again, from our records, she retired from service since October 2018, ordinarily she is supposed to step aside and allow someone else to preside or set up electoral committee to conduct this election coming up on the 25th of April.”

Aggrieved labour leaders claim that NLC law did not permit a non-serving public servant to occupy the number one position.

Also, Mike Iyowuna, from the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) pointed out that ‘’the labour law does not permit that and there is nowhere we can allow such a thing, since she took over the NLC chairmanship four years ago, the workers are worst off, no promotions, pensioners are suffering, we are stagnated, she should step aside and allow for a fresh elections, we have seen her best and we can’t take her into the future of NLC.”

However, while reacting to their claims, Itubo confirmed that she retired last year and was re-employed by her affiliate union and urged other members who wished to contest the NLC chairmanships to do so without causing trouble in the labour movement.

‘’Rivers State is not the only state in Nigeria where elections are conducted. Why must we be in the news all the time for the wrong reasons? There is a body saddled with the responsibilities of conducting this election, if they feel I have breached the law, they should take it up with them, election of NLC is for staff and members.”

Itubo cited the example of Adams Oshiomole whom she said was a staff and the General Secretary of a union before he became NLC President.