By Abiodun Fanoro

The faction, led by Mr. Tunji Omogoroye, said the election would hold before the month's end.

His declaration to form a parallel council through the election came barely two weeks after another group led by Mr. Michael Olukoya held its election where Olukoya was returned as the state's NUT chairman.

The election was boycotted by Mr. Abiodun Abdul of the United Teachers' Movement (UTM), Omogoroye's group and Alhaji Ahmed Ajiboye.

Omogoroye told journalists at the weekend that his team had already contacted the NUT national secretariat in Abuja, which had allegedly accepted invitation to conduct what he called "true and constitutional state Wing Executive Council election for teachers in Lagos before the end of the month (May)."

Omogoroye described the May 12 election that returned Olukoya as illegal and unconstitutional because, according to him, it was conducted by the West zonal branch of NUT, which broke away from the national body last year.

The same scenario had since early this month been playing itself out in Delta State branch of the union where there are two parallel state executive councils.

One is recognised by the national body while the other is backed by the West zonal branch.

In an interview with The Guardian, Abdul, who boycotted the election, accused Olukoya of unilaterally pulling out of the state branch from the national body. He said that neither the state executive nor the delegate conference approved the action.

A letter had been sent to the NUT National Secretariat, Abuja, to report Olukoya to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a probe of his four-year tenure.

He also said the former state treasurer, Mr. Amos Akinsoota, had no right to keep the union's fund and account, having been dismissed though the dismissal was later commuted to retirement by the state government.

In a swift reaction, the NUT Lagos Secretary, Mr. Jamiu Idris, absolved Olukoya of all the allegations of fraud.

He explained that the chairman got the backing of all relevant organs of the union in the state before pulling out of the national body.

Idris faulted the insinuation that the former treasurer acted illegally, noting that no member raised objection to his retention as treasurer after his retirement, nor was the account he rendered at the delegates' conference rejected.