The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has said his Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) counterpart, Joe Ajaero, cannot negotiate on behalf of organised labour, insisting that he can only speak for NLC members.

Osifo spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, following the disagreement between the two labour leaders over the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers for six months.

Ajaero had criticised Osifo for rejecting the offer, arguing that the TUC had no right to turn it down.

However, Osifo maintained that the TUC had its own position on the offer and that Ajaero could not negotiate on behalf of its members.

“Comrade Ajaero does not have the right to negotiate on behalf of organised labour and TUC members. He has the right to negotiate for Nigerian Labour Congress members,” he said.

Osifo explained that the TUC’s rejection of the allowance was not based on any document signed by Ajaero, saying the congress had communicated its position to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before the NLC president’s meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour.

“Our rejection was not as a result of the document Ajaero signed. We already took that position with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation earlier on. He never negotiated for it; it was the President of the Federal Republic that gave that,” he said.

The TUC president said the congress had proposed a ₦300,000 salary increase but was offered the ₦70,000 transport allowance for six months instead.

He said the TUC had rejected the allowance before Ajaero met with the Federal Ministry of Labour and announced the offer.

“The ₦70k is something we had rejected earlier before Ajaero had his meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour,” Osifo said.

He maintained that the TUC’s immediate demand was a salary increase, arguing that the Federal Government could raise workers’ pay while discussions on a new minimum wage were pending.

“Since it takes time to negotiate minimum wage and there is no law in Nigeria that stipulates maximum wage, some states are currently paying more than the current minimum wage. We can pull the Federal Government to increase the pay of workers,” he said.

Osifo said the TUC’s position remained unchanged and had been communicated at a press conference on October 8, 2026. He added that the congress expected minimum wage review discussions to begin in February. (Channels TV)