The Caretaker Committee of the Edo state council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that the 2026 May Day celebration in the state “cannot and must not hold in the spirit of genuine workers’ solidarity.”
In a public statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen, the Committee described the planned event as a “misrepresentation of the labour movement.”
Igbafen noted that May Day remains a historic symbol of working-class struggle, dedicated to reflecting on workers’ rights, warning that it should not be reduced to a state-controlled ceremonial event.
The committee expressed concern over what it described as the “current state of division and crisis within the Edo labour environment,” insisting that the situation does not warrant celebration.
“It is our considered position that the labour environment in Edo State today cannot and must not inspire celebration. A divided house cannot rejoice,” the statement read.
The Edo NLC Caretaker Committee alleged that the state chapter of the labour movement is currently embroiled in internal struggles involving “impostors, political collaborators, and labour aristocrats,” which it said had undermined the credibility of the union.
It further dissociated itself from the May Day event scheduled to hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, describing it as lacking legitimate backing from both the Edo State leadership of the NLC and the national secretariat.
While noting that government support for workers’ programmes is not inherently wrong, the Committee warned against what it called “undue interference in the internal affairs of the trade union movement.”
It urged workers in the state to remain vigilant and not be misled, advising genuine members of the labour movement to reflect on what it described as the “present travails of organised labour in Edo State.”
The committee called on workers to draw inspiration from past labour heroes and recommit to the principles of solidarity, independence, and struggle for workers’ rights.