A bitter clash between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Labour Party (LP) escalated yesterday, with the union staging protests at the party’s headquarters and secretariats across the country, demanding the resignation of national chairman Julius Abure.
However, the LP swiftly condemned the forcible entry of NLC members into its premises, labeling it as illegal and criminal.
During the occupation of the Labour Party headquarters in Abuja, Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku, Deputy President of NLC Political Commission, stated that the protests aimed to express workers’ grievances against Abure’s leadership.
Dr. Ndubuaku emphasized the importance of having a strong opposition party like the Labour Party in Nigeria, echoing the need for good governance and democratic practices.
The NLC criticized the unilateral convening of a national convention by Abure without consulting relevant stakeholders, stressing the importance of an all-inclusive process.
Comrade Bello Ismail, Acting General Secretary of NLC, expressed disappointment with Abure’s failure to adhere to democratic norms and insisted on a convention where all stakeholders, including workers, youths, and informal workers, have a say.
Chris Uyot, Secretary of the NLC Political Commission, denounced Abure’s decision to hold a convention without consulting stakeholders and emphasized the democratic principles upheld by Nigerian workers.
In response, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party condemned the NLC’s actions as unlawful and accused them of causing destruction to party property.
The party criticized the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, accusing him of greed and ambition and refuted the claim that NLC owns the Labour Party, asserting that ownership lies with card-carrying or financial members.
The Labour Party asserted its independence and called for respect for democratic processes, highlighting that no organization can claim ownership of another.
