LP Flays NLC’s Invasion of Party’s Secretariat
…..why NLC shut down Labour Party headquarters
The Labour Party (LP), yesterday, condemned the invasion of the party’s secretariat by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The LP alleged that the NLC during the invasion, deliberately carried out wishful damage in contravention to the criminal code under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The position of the NLC, was expressed at a news conference addressed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi.
Arabambi said, “The Leadership of Labour Party is worried by the recent developments going on in the party following the announcement of the date for the National Convention of the party.
“We are worried of the move by the Nigeria Labour Congress, led by Comrade Ajaero to forcefully takes over the Labour Party which they have done today like a coup detat in order to overthrow our party leadership to hurriedly install their puppets as Acting National Chairman Acting National Secretary in order to allegedly, pursue his Presidential Ambition in 2027 which can never and shall not be possible in Labour party.
“The Joe Ajaero NLC are aware that there was a leadership tussle in our party which is purely our internal affairs which is before the supreme Court , we then wondered why this haste to pre determined the outcome rather than proceeding to the court to joined as necessary parties.”
Condemning the pre-emptive action of Ajaero led NLC, Arabambi recalled that Julius Abure in the exercise of his right, appealed the restraining order and on the 6th of March 2024 , the court of Appeal in their opinion set aside the restraining order which as leadership has also been appeal with motion for stay of execution filed before the Supreme Court
“Joe Ajaero need to urgently explain to Nigerian why he is passing a Vote of No Confidence against Julius Abure even now that the Court of Appeal has lifted the restraining order.
“We might have our internal wrangling, which is normal for a growing party like ours, but it will then be out of place for NLC to latch on this and completely destroy the party and install its puppet as National Chairman of LP Party.
“The call for the picketing and subsequent invasion and destruction of Labour Party National Office, is illegal, archaic and not in tandem with modern democracy. Where did the NLC heard in any history of the world that Labour movement pickets a Political Party Office because of the National convention of a political Party.
“Our belief is that if there is any score to settle, NLC should have gone to Court and allow due process to take its course rather than coercing political party to dance to their tunes as if they were dealing with corporate organisation”, Arabambi said.
The National Publicity Secretary, stated that the NLC under the leadership of Ajaero, had failed woefully in delivering its mandate
“The NLC is a movement which by every standard should remain apolitical. There are thousands and one issues that affects Nigerian workers today in which the NLC has failed woefully to fight for.
“The set of NLC leadership as we have today is a failure who put elephant on the head and scratch for rats on the grounds. They have left the mandate in which Nigerian workers elected them to perform and seek their selfish personal needs. No wonder none of their demands is been taking seriously today by the people because we have self centered leaders at the helm of affairs”, Arabambi said.
NLC shuts down Labour Party headquarters, demands Abure’s sack
Protesting members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, have barricaded the main entrance into the National Headquarters of the Labour Party, LP, today, Wednesday, demanding the immediate sack of the National Chairman, Comrade Julius Abure.
The protesters were refused entry into the building by armed regular policemen on duty.
However, the largely peaceful protesters were heard singing solidarity songs while calling for an end to “Abure’s reign of corruption tyranny”.
The NLC leadership had accused Abure of planning to hold an “illegal convention”. This, they said, was to perpetrate his rule or in the alternative appoint cronies to act on his behalf.
Recall that both the Joe Ajaero-led NLC and the House of Representatives Caucus of the LP had taken issue with Abure over the planned convention date.
However, Organised Labour, which constitutes a major power block within the party, has demanded that Abure step. They said it would allow an election-independent audit into the party’s finances.
This was sequel to allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him by the erstwhile National Treasurer.
Meanwhile, the Abure-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Labour Party, LP, had, on Saturday, accused Ajaero of being desperate to replace Abure as National Chairman.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party leadership advised Ajaero to resign his presidency of the NLC first before seeking to replace Abure.
Ifoh’s statement was a response to an open letter written on Friday by the political wing of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission.
