MWUN 2025: Bunu coasts to victory as next PG after Uche Igweonu steps down in election

…. Gets endorsement from past union leaders

As the March 28, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria ( MWUN) election and race for the President General position gather momentum, there are strong indications that Comrade Francis Bunu may be coasting home to victory as the next President General of MWUN.

This came as the only contender for the President General position, Uche Igweonu has reportedly stepped down from the race.

Immediate past President General of the Union, Comrade Tony Nted disclosed this in Lagos on Thursday when President General of the Union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju led a delegation of national officers to pay courtesy visits to former presidents general of the Union and seek their blessings and support for Comrade Bunu ahead of the election.

The delegation also met with former President General, Comrade Onikolease Irabor, and President of the defunct dockworkers union of Nigeria, Chief Joshua Ogunleye.

According to Nted, the union has only one candidate for the position of President General in the election.

The former PG revealed that he had spoken to the other contenders, including Comrade Ifeanyi Mazeli, President of the NPA branch, and Uche Igweonu, representing the shipping branch who have both agreed to step down.

He said, ” We have just one candidate because I’ve called the other two people- president of NPA btanch, Comrade Ifeany Mazeli and I’ve talked to him. He is a very nice young man and he has surrendered. I have also spoken to Uche Igweonu and he said Ok. When I asked that I learnt he has retired he said he will be retiring this year so that means that the deal is done. So I told him I want him to step down and he agreed with me. I learnt that he held a press conference declaring his intention the other day but that is not an issue. Whether he steps down or not, we know that we have only one candidate for the position of President general. ”

Noting that the task ahead is enormous, Comrade Nted prayed that God grants Bunu wisdom to successfully lead the Union and for the discernment to heed advice and guidance from the union’s leaders.

During the visit, Chief Ogunleye and Irabor also endorsed Bunu’s candidacy.

While declaring his support for Bunu, Comrade Ogunleye urged other members of the Union to support him.

He stressed the importance of unity, within the Union and urged Bunu to prioritise this aspect during his tenure.

Speaking earlier, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, explained that the union’s visits to past leaders is a show of respect and a courtesy to inform them of the upcoming election.

He said the union is committed to rotating leadership positions to avoid a one-sided arrangement.

He noted that during his tenure, the union established a rotational arrangement among its four branches, with two branches- NPA and Dockworkers having already held the President General position

He said the Seafarers branch has now put forward Francis Bunu as their candidate for the upcoming election.

He said, ” The purpose of our visit is to align with the direction that our leaders have already laid out in our constitution. Because you are part of the arrangement that we are about to start now. And that arrangement started from my tenure, where we have four branches and two of them have served in the position of president general and we have decided to pick one from the other two branches.

He said although other candidates have agreed to step down, the union’s constitution allows anyone to contest for the position.

Adeyanju assured that the union will not discriminate against any candidate and will prioritize stability and growth over crisis in the industry.

“We don’t ask anybody not to contest, so that there won’t be any crisis in the union. “But we are not going to make a mistake of projecting somebody that will turn the industry upside down. That era is gone, ” he said.

Adeyanju expressed confidence in Francis Bunu, describing him as “tested and trusted.” He assured that Bunu will not disappoint the union and its leaders.