The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has pledged to thwart any attempts to derail the Labour Party, especially now that the party enjoys broad support among Nigerians. The vow was made on Monday when NLC leaders stormed the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to show solidarity with the embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, amid tight security. National President Joe Ajaero and other officials also promised to root out those who seek to usurp the party’s leadership.
Reports have suggested that the Labour Party is mired in a leadership crisis following an Abuja High Court interim injunction that barred Abure from presenting himself as the party’s national chairman. In response to the court order, the party’s National Vice‑Chairman (South), Lamido Bashir Apapa, assumed the chairmanship in an acting capacity.
Addressing workers at the party secretariat, Ajaero emphasized that the Labour Party was born out of frustration with Nigerian politicians and that established procedures must be followed before any change of leadership. He warned that the labour movement would not allow anyone to derail the party they helped revive. “Today we say enough is enough. Never again will any person enter here under any guise or order. Even if we lose our leadership, we must meet as trustees of this party to decide the next line of action,” he declared.
Ajaero called on workers nationwide to arrest anyone who illegally declares themselves chairman, secretary, or any other party office holder and bring them to the NLC. He invoked biblical language, stating, “From the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and violence taketh by force. Now we have come to take our party, we have come to establish our party.” He warned that envy and jealousy were being used to sabotage the party’s growth and threatened to pursue those responsible, saying, “If you continue this way, we will go after your fathers.”
He clarified that only the party’s congress has the authority to approve new leadership and that, until such a decision is made, the party will continue to recognize the Abure‑led leadership. Ajaero urged union members across the country to protect the union and purge it of shady characters, adding, “Any group that thinks it can sabotage or derail our ideological move, we will resist them with the last drop of our blood. This party was formed by the NLC and TUC. It is our party. No one can come from elsewhere and declare themselves chairman or secretary without our consent.”
Finally, he warned that anyone attempting to infiltrate the party again would face severe consequences, including the seizure of their property and residences, stating, “They will know that all that they have was given to them by Labour.” He concluded by affirming, “The NLC fathered the Labour Party and we will not abandon our child.”
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