Stakeholders of the Nigeria Labour Congress are set to convene on Monday to address the ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party and the potential reinstatement of Julius Abure as national chairman. Reports suggest that a caretaker committee may be established to assume control of the opposition party.
The situation escalated following an unsuccessful attempt by the party’s Board of Trustees to remove Abure from power and assume leadership of the Labour Party. Recently, a group of retired workers known as the Lagos Assembly of Labour Veterans and Trade Unionists staged a protest demanding Abure’s immediate resignation. They also criticized NLC President Joe Ajaero for his handling of the party’s leadership struggle.
Efforts to obtain a response from NLC spokesman Benson Upah were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls, text messages, or WhatsApp messages seeking clarification. In response to the NLC’s meeting invitation, the Labour Party leadership denounced the gathering as an “illegal jamboree” orchestrated by individuals they referred to as “drama boys.”
Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, labeled the proposed meeting as illegal and urged law enforcement agencies to intervene and prevent the gathering from taking place. Ifoh emphasized that the Labour Party has not authorized the meeting and therefore considers its outcomes null and void.
The statement also criticized the NLC for failing to address the recent 300% increase in electricity tariffs by the Federal Government, while hastily organizing an unauthorized meeting to appoint a caretaker committee for the Labour Party. Ifoh called on genuine party members to disregard the meeting and emphasized that the NLC does not have ownership rights over the Labour Party.
As tensions rise and conflicting interests come to light, the future of the Labour Party remains uncertain. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
