Julius Abure, Chairman of the Labour ParLabour Party (LP) and Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), are at the center of a heated dispute. The Labour Party leadership has condemned the NLC’s threat to storm its offices across the country, calling it an attempt to discredit the Julius Abure-led leadership in the eyes of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.
The Labour Party has made it clear that it will seek protection from security forces and mobilize its members nationwide to prevent any invasion of its offices. This was revealed in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja.
Ifoh responded to Joe Ajaero’s call on Tuesday, in which the NLC President urged union leaders to prepare for the takeover of 36 Labour Party offices and its national secretariat. This move comes after a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that overturned earlier lower court judgments.
Ajaero argued that the Labour Party’s leadership under Julius Abure has refused to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision. However, Ifoh criticized Ajaero’s actions, claiming that his behavior is more akin to hooliganism than to the conduct of a responsible union leader.
“We would have disregarded this threat, but we feel it is necessary to assure our members that we are committed to defending our rights and resisting all forms of intimidation,” Ifoh said. He further called the NLC’s actions an attempt to pressure INEC and security agencies into making wrong decisions.
Ifoh also recalled the March 21, 2024, incident when NLC members forcefully entered the Labour Party’s headquarters and stole sensitive documents and valuables. This, he said, was reported to the police, and the current threat to invade party offices appears to be a continuation of this kind of unlawful behavior.
“Under Ajaero’s leadership, the NLC has made a habit of attacking offices. In 2024, they broke into our headquarters and stole our property. We are now alerting the nation to this new threat,” Ifoh stated. “Ajaero must understand that such actions are not those of a responsible union leader.
Read also:
He also pointed out that there is no trade dispute between the NLC and the Labour Party, and according to the Trade Dispute Act, unions cannot picket or strike without such a dispute. “This is pure illegality,” he emphasized, noting that the Labour Party does not employ any NLC staff and has no union presence within its offices.
Ifoh went on to clarify that the Supreme Court’s ruling affirmed the Labour Party’s internal leadership structure, and any challenge to it would be unlawful. He advised Ajaero to seek legal advice if he struggles to understand the court’s decision.
“The court has made it clear that it cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The Labour Party’s National Working Committee was not dissolved, nor was its tenure ended by the court. Ajaero and his supporters should consult legal experts if they cannot comprehend this straightforward ruling,” Ifoh said.
The Labour Party also warned that it would use all available legal means to address any further illegal actions by the NLC, including filing a complaint with the Registrar of Trade Unions.
In closing, Ifoh reiterated that the Labour Party would seek protection from security agencies, and if the NLC ignores these protections, the party would be forced to mobilize its members across the country to defend its offices.
