The Bayelsa State Government has called on the national leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election for the state chapter’s new executive council.
In a statement made available to TPCN on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo made the appeal during an expanded meeting with state TUC executives, affiliate unions, and key government officials at Government House, Yenagoa.
In the statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, Ewhrudjakpo urged the National Executive Council of the TUC, led by Comrade Festus Osifo, to postpone the state chapter election scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2025. He noted that the postponement would provide room for government and stakeholders to address critical issues that could undermine the integrity of the process.
The deputy governor stressed that although the state government has no preferred candidate for the TUC leadership, it remained committed to ensuring the election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace, equity, fairness, and justice.
To address the concerns raised, Ewhrudjakpo constituted a five-member committee to investigate matters threatening the conduct of a credible election. The committee is chaired by Mr. Irorodamie Komonibo, Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House.
He directed the committee to obtain the TUC constitution and review the guidelines used for recent elections in Ekiti, Ogun, and Kebbi states, as well as three sets of guidelines reportedly issued for the upcoming Bayelsa election. The state electoral committee was instructed to provide all relevant documents to the Komonibo-led team.
Members of the investigation committee include Comrade Gowon Toruyouyei, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor; Mr. Saturday Odoko, Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity; Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Commissioner for Information; and Mr. Perekeme Richard, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties.
According to the Deputy Governor: “The TUC must submit its constitution to the committee. The guidelines used in Ekiti, Ogun, and Kebbi must also be submitted today. In addition, the three different guidelines alleged to have been issued for the Bayelsa election should be made available.
“The deputy chief of staff is also to contact the TUC National President to suspend the election due to the issues at hand.
“We are appealing to them to shift the election until all concerns are resolved. We are not concerned about who becomes Chairman, but we insist on fairness, equity, justice, good conscience, and natural law in the process.”
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Supporting the call, the Head of Service, Dr. Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer, and the Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Koku-Obiyai, emphasized that government must act to prevent actions that could destabilize labour institutions in the state.
Koku-Obiyai, a former NLC state Chairperson, stressed the need for consistent electoral guidelines across all states.
Bayelsa TUC Chairman, Dr. Laye Julius, also appealed for government intervention to prevent the escalating tensions from disrupting the selection of new state leadership.
Other stakeholders who spoke at the meeting included the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Andabai Sonia; TUC State Secretary, Mr. Amatoru Bright; Financial Secretary, Mr. Abah Dressman; ELECO Chairman, Mr. Anengimo Jonah; chairmanship candidate Mr. Igbudu Pedro; and Chairman of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Maxwell Willie.
