Comrade Dr. Josiah Udoka has emerged as the new factional Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State Council, following an election conducted during the first quadrennial delegates’ conference held in Port Harcourt on October 30, 2025.
Dr. Udoka, who was elected unopposed, will lead an executive team that includes Comrade Ngozi Azuibuike (Vice Chairman), Comrade Nnamdi Dike (Secretary), Comrade Abereniboye Harry (Assistant Secretary), Comrade Joy Manjor (Women Leader), Comrade Solomon Batubo (Financial Secretary), Comrade Nkem Nwogu (Treasurer), Comrade Jacob Idakwo Simon (Public Relations Officer), Comrade Clement Onyeson (Auditor), and Comrade Onyefuru Ikechukwu (Ex-Officio).
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Speaking shortly after his emergence, Dr. Udoka said the decision to conduct a separate election was not a rebellion against the national leadership but a stand to protect the sanctity, equity, and justice within the union and the state civil service.
“We are not rebelling against the union. We are protecting the sanctity of the civil service family. Civil service is governed by integrity, honesty, courtesy, and accountability values that are now being eroded.
“We intend to tell those who think they can pocket the state civil servants that we cannot be silenced. We are standing for fairness, equality, and justice. We say no to imposition of candidates and no to any process that undermines civil service values.”
Dr. Udoka explained that the faction’s emergence was driven by the perceived marginalization of public sector workers within the TUC, which he said had been dominated by private-sector unions.
He maintained that 90% of TUC discussions concern civil servants, yet civil service voices have been sidelined. “How can issues that affect civil servants be discussed without civil servants? Those from the private sector must work with us not against us,” he stressed.
He also defended the legitimacy of the election, saying it was witnessed by representatives of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and the Federal Ministry of Labor, insisting it would stand the test of time.
In his remarks, Comrade Chukwuka Osumah, State Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union and Secretary of the Joint Public Negotiating Council, expressed full support for the Udoka-led faction.
“We recognize only the TUC faction led by Dr. Josiah Udoka. The election was successful and reflects the will of civil servants. We are ready to support this leadership in all its efforts to defend workers’ rights,” Osumah said.
He added that while unity within the TUC is desirable, the other faction must be ready to embrace transparency and inclusiveness before reconciliation can happen.
Earlier in his address, Comrade Emmanuel Onumbu accused the national TUC leadership, led by Engr. Festus Osifo, of abusing authority by manipulating delegate representation and favoring a single affiliate, PENGASSAN, with over 60% of the voting strength.
“This is not democracy; it is manipulation. When a congress silences dissent, it ceases to be a union and becomes a cult of personalities,” Onumbu declared.
He urged the national leadership of the TUC to return to fairness, transparency, and internal democracy, while calling on the Rivers State Government to remain neutral and avoid recognizing any process not guided by the union’s constitution and industrial laws.
“A stable industrial environment is built on justice, and justice cannot exist where manipulation and illegitimacy are allowed to thrive,” he warned.
The theme of the conference was “Restoring Union Integrity: Upholding Democracy, Autonomy, and Accountability in Leadership.”
Observers say the development marks a new chapter in the Rivers TUC, as the Udoka-led faction positions itself as the authentic voice of civil servants in the state.
