President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appears to be in the eye of the storm, following allegations leveled against him by some persons believed to be loyalists of the Imo State gov­ernment.

In the latest storm, a group under the aegis of Arewa Youths Assembly led by one Ali Muhammad has accused the NLC President, Joe Ajaero of plans to scuttle the inaugu­ration of the President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Recall that Ajaero, the in­cumbent President of the NLC had directed Aviation workers to ground flight activities from Lagos to Owerri on the allega­tions that the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma was unduly interfering in the activities of workers in the state.

Uzodimna was also alleged by NLC to have disrupted the 2023 May Day commemoration in the state, a development that didn’t go down well with the NLC and TUC.

But as the airport closure enters the third day, the Arewa Youth Assembly has accused Ajaero of working with IPOB to actualise the presidential ambition of Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party.

The group also accused the NLC leadership of using the Nigeria Labour Congress to promote Biafran agenda, in­sisting that Comrades Ajaero and Emmanuel Ugboaja, the General Secretary of the apex union each received an SUV bulletproof van from the Cen­tral Bank to scuttle the strike against the cashless policy.

But a statement credited to Benson Upah, the Head of In­formation and Public Affairs of NLC debunked these allega­tions.

The youth group had also alleged that it is the first time in the history of the Congress that the President and General Secretary are from the same ethnic group which makes it convenient for them to prose­cute the Biafràn agenda; add­ing that Ajaero threatened the election petition Judges as well as invited only Mr Peter Obi to the May Day commemoration amongst the presidential can­didates.

The group had also alleged that Ajaero is using the Ig­bo-dominated Congress to sabo­tage the economy of the country and that “the invasion of Lagos and Imo Airports by IPOB fun­damentalists masquerading as NLC is only but the beginning of what Ajaero is hatching to stop Tinubu from taking the oath of office on May 29.”

It ended its accusation by suggesting that Ajaero should be arrested and prosecuted.

Debunking it in its entirety, Upah said these allegations are cheap blackmail intended to di­vert the attention of the leader­ship of the Congress from its ob­ligation or mission to the people.

The NLC spokesman stated, “We wish to reiterate that the Nigeria Labour Congress is a pan-Nigerian organisation not governed by primordial sen­timents such as ethnicity or religion. Moreover, Comrade Joe Ajaero has not employed anyone since he resumed office as President of the Congress. Neither has he accepted a gift of an SUV bulletproof van from anyone.

“Ajaero is a law-abiding citi­zen and a stickler for the separa­tion and expression of powers of which the judiciary is one. In light of this, he does not believe in intimidation of Judges but nonetheless holds the view that corrupt Judges should be put in their place.

“Neither Ajaero nor NLC has any plan to scuttle the inaugu­ration of Senator Bola Tinubu. Those who make this allegation forget that Ajaero was among the first leaders of thought to advise aggrieved parties to go to court.

“More amusing is the alle­gation that Mr Peter Obi was invited to the commemoration of May Day to the exclusion of other presidential candidates. The records are there for all to see that all the candidates were invited. However, the right to honour this inviation resided with the invitees.

“It is childish and unrea­sonable for anyone reasonable acting reasonably to accuse Comrades Ajaero and Emman­uel Ugboaja of pursuing ethnic agenda at the Congress let alone IPOB,” the spokesman of the NLC submitted.