Tensions between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the leadership of the Labour Party reached new heights on Wednesday, as the labour union instructed its state councils and political commission to stage pickets at Labour Party secretariats nationwide.
In a letter dated Tuesday, March 19, 2024, signed by Titus Amba, Chairperson of the NLC Political Commission, and Chris Uyot, Secretary, the directive was issued following a virtual meeting between the NLC National Political Commission and the leadership of the NLC State Councils and State Political Committees.
The letter cited the refusal of the National Chairman of the Labour Party to convene a National Convention, financial misconduct, and disregard for NLC leadership as reasons for the directive to picket Labour Party secretariats across states on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The National Working Committee of the Labour Party accused Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, of attempting to oust Julius Abure, the Labour Party National Chairman. The allegations stemmed from an open letter by the political arm of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, which raised concerns about plans for a national convention in Umuahia, Abia State, scheduled for March 27, allegedly to re-elect Abure as the sole administrator of the party.
The political wing of the NLC labeled the planned convention as illegal and demanded Abure’s immediate resignation as party chairman, advocating for the formation of a caretaker transition committee to organize a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention.
In response, the LP leadership rebuffed the directive, accusing Ajaero of seeking to assume the position of the next national chairman of the party. The LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, emphasized that the party’s leadership was not obliged to heed directives from non-party members who are unionists.
Concluding the directive issued on Tuesday, it urged NLC state councils and state political committees to mobilize workers, civil society allies, students, traders, and professionals for picketing and mobilization efforts, in collaboration with the NLC Political Commission and the Labour Party.
