By Oluyinka Onigbinde
Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that a major leadership crisis is currently rocking the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), barely one month after the exit of Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, the former President-General, who is widely credited with sustaining peace in the union throughout his eight-year tenure.
The union, now under the leadership of Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, is facing growing internal discord over who emerges as presidents of its various branches, with the dockworkers’ branch becoming the epicenter of the unrest. The situation, according to insiders, is degenerating rapidly, especially as the election into the leadership of the branches draws closer.
Last week, tensions spilled into the open when aggrieved union members staged protests across port locations, carrying placards warning former union president, Comrade Tony Nted, to steer clear of the dockworkers’ electoral process.
Sources confirmed that the dockworkers’ branch is now sharply divided, with members bitterly opposed over perceived attempts to override a reported gentleman’s agreement on zoning of the position of the president to another port, away from Apapa port which produced the incumbent president.
Checks by Shipping Position Daily revealed that this is probably the first time in the last 16 years that the Union is being enmeshed in such a serious crisis over who becomes the next dockworkers’ branch president—underscoring just how deep the rift runs within the rank and file of the union.
According to multiple sources, there was an understanding, brokered before Adeyanju’s departure; that the next president of the dockworkers’ branch should emerge from the Tin Can port, given that the incumbent president, Comrade Tajudeen Ohize, who is completing his second term, is from the ENL Terminal at Apapa port.
However, fresh indications emerged last week suggesting that the zoning deal may have been jettisoned, as campaign posters of Mr. Bolaji Agboola, a member of the union from the same ENL Terminal at Apapa port, surfaced across the ports, declaring his intention to contest the top position.
Further findings revealed that Comrade Oluwole Adetumi of the Tin Can port, who had long declared his interest in the position, is allegedly being pressured to withdraw from the race in favour of Agboola. There are strong insinuations that Agboola is being backed by the Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Terminal, Princess Vicky Haastrup, who is highly respected within the maritime sector and fondly referred to as Mama Dockworkers.
Sources within the union confided in this newspaper that Princess Haastrup is strongly interested in ensuring that someone from her terminal succeeds Ohize, and she is unlikely to support any candidate who does not align with ENL’s business interests.
“She won’t go against her own business interest,” one insider told Shipping Position Daily. “Her support for Bolaji is strategic—meant to keep ENL’s influence intact in the leadership of the dockworkers’ branch.”
Speaking on the situation, Comrade Tajudeen Ohize denied the existence of any crisis, insisting that the electoral process would be democratic and open to all qualified aspirants. In a chat with our correspondent, he said: “By the special of grace of God, there is no crisis in the industry. Anybody that disagrees should go to the pool. We are not selecting anybody. Let everybody go and pick the form; whoever wants to contest.”
On the reported agreement reached before Adeyanju’s exit, Ohize said: “Adeyanju cannot settle that before he goes. He has not settled it. I am the one who is on that seat. He never called me for anything, that this is the person. Whoever wants to succeed me shall contest. Let everybody go and pick form.”
He also pushed back against allegations that Comrade Tony Nted is attempting to influence the process: “I don’t even believe that Tony has any time for us. Whoever is masterminding any crisis will use his head to carry it. We are matured enough. That era is gone.”
Despite the assurance from the current leadership, there are growing fears among union members that if not carefully managed, the dockworkers’ election could plunge the once-stable union into deeper crisis. Several members have continued to call for transparency and fairness, warning that any attempt to impose a candidate could result in prolonged unrest.
Meanwhile, following the protest by some of the aggrieved union members, the President General of MWUN, Com. Francis Bunu Abi in a statement warned all contestants and members of the union in the coming branch elections to desist from placing fliers, banners, stickers or images of any sort at the quay apron, port terminals, jetties, oil & gas platforms, on-board vessels and union offices nation-wide.
He stated that, in as much as the union recognizes the right of every member to participate or contest the elective positions, it’s imperative that contestants and members of the union must abide by the rules by eschewing campaign of bitterness and to observe discipline, peace and decorum.
