The Labour Party on Tuesday, issued a warning to the Nigeria Labour Congress against hijacking the political platform, saying it lacked the power to sack the Julius Abure-National Working Committee.

A statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Labour Party (LP) described the stakeholders’ meeting as an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party, and some ‘social media tigers’ who are not card-carrying members of LP.

He said, “The Political Commission of the NLC is a front for Comrade Joe Ajaero, which he has empowered for the purpose of his political ambitions come 2027. The group is unknown to the Labour Party and as such, lacks the powers to convene a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ to deliberate, let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party, who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts. We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to destabilize the opposition.

“This explains why in quick succession all their plots to hijack the party leadership failed. First, it was by illegal picketing of the party when that failed, it attempted to introduce and inaugurate a non-existing Board of Trustees that also failed. Again, the attempted plot to take over the party using stakeholder meetings comprising former members, social media tigers and non-members will again fall like a pack of cards.

“It is pertinent to add that Nigerians are suffering under the harsh economic conditions of the current government. Workers and the downtrodden are at the receiving end. As we speak, there are unfair workers’ practices perpetuated by employers but the Nigerian Labour Congress has failed to take proactive roles in order to fight for the rights of workers. We want to remind Comrade Joe Ajaero that he has a lot of work to do for the Nigerian workers which he is abdicating to face politics. This is why we previously advised that he should first resign as NLC President if he wants to join politics.”

The party’s response comes following Monday’s resolution taken by the NLC Political Commission at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

In the communiqué released after the gathering, the unionists voided the national convention that returned Abure and his NWC members to office.

To fill the vacuum, the stakeholders said the congress would set up a transition committee to oversee the party’s affairs pending when new officers will be elected in three months.

The resolution taken by the NLC also raised concerns about the need to conduct a forensic audit of the LP bank accounts in line with the demand of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following allegations of corruption, forgery and fraud levelled against the party leadership.

See the full statement by LP below:

The leadership of the Labour Party has read with dismay the attempt by the Nigeria Labour Congress, a body not recognized by the Constitution of our great party or any of our known laws for that matter, to arrogate to itself powers it does not possess.

It claimed to have sacked the Comrade Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party, after holding an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party and some social media tigers who are not known to be card-carrying members of our party.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored the illegal act but for the need to set the records straight and to prevent genuine democracy-loving Nigerians and supporters of our great party from being misled, we offer a few clarifications.

The Political Commission of the NLC is a front for Comrade Joe Ajaero which he has empowered for the purpose of his political ambition come 2027. The group is unknown to the Labour Party as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of “stakeholders” to deliberate let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that the crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts. We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to destabilise the opposition.

This explains why in quick succession all their plots to hijack the party leadership have failed. First it was by illegal picketing of the party when that failed, it attempted to introduce and inaugurate a non-existing Board of Trustees, which also failed. Again, the attempted plot to take over the party using stakeholder meetings comprising former members, social media tigers and non-members will again fail like a pack of cards.

If only the drama boys who gathered on Monday as stakeholders could open the Labour Party constitution which guides the conduct of the party, probably they would have not wasted their time being part of the scantly attended jamboree. Since you cannot build something on nothing, the gathering itself lacks legitimacy and as such decisions reached remain an enterprise in futility. They are null, void and of no effect.

It is on record that the Labour Party recently had a very successful national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State where party officials were elected and given the sacred mandate to build on the successes recorded by our party in the 2023 general elections.

There is no disputing the fact that the Abure-led NWC led the party into becoming a national brand. With the support of members and Nigerians across the length and breadth of this great nation, the party now boasts a number of Senators, members of the Federal House of Representatives as well as State Assemblies. Need we talk about the pace-setting Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti?

It is pertinent to add that Nigerians are suffering under the harsh economic conditions of the current government. Workers and the downtrodden are at the receiving end. As we speak today there are unfair workers practices perpetuated by employers and the Nigerian Labour Congress has failed to take proactive roles in order to fight for the right of workers. We want to remind Comrade Joe Ajaero that he has a lot of work to do for the Nigerian workers which he is abdicating to face politics. This is why we had previously advised him that if he wants to join politics let him first resign as the President of the NLC and let us know that he has turned into a politician.

We have a collective responsibility to rebuild our party and as the leader that he is, Comrade Abure has offered his hands of fellowship to all genuine party members to come on board to partner with him and give Nigerians a truly democratic platform to pursue their dreams of a better Nigeria which we all know is still possible.

As a law-abiding party, we will seek the protection of the court of law should the need arise. We, however, appeal to our teeming supporters to remain calm because in the end, justice will prevail.

SIGN

Obiora Ifoh

National Publicity Secretary

Labour Party

09-04-2024