The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by President Joe Ajaero, has instructed its members to take control of Labour Party (LP) offices across the country. This move comes after the Supreme Court delivered a judgment that removed Julius Abure from his position as the National Chairman of the LP. Ajaero’s call to action emphasizes that, with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment in hand, there is little that the opponents of the Labour Party can do at this point.
The NLC has urged the LP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to appoint an interim leadership and organize an inclusive Special National Convention as stipulated by the party’s constitution and the court’s directive. The NLC stated that any deviation from these processes would be seen as an attack on the rule of law, warning that Nigerian workers and citizens would stand against it. The congress also appealed to security agencies, particularly the police and the State Security Service (SSS), to enforce the court’s decision.
In response, LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, rejected the NLC’s intervention, arguing that the congress has no right to seize LP offices since there is no trade dispute. He added that the Supreme Court did not order the removal of the National Working Committee (NWC), and called on Ajaero and his supporters to seek legal clarification if they misunderstood the court’s ruling.
This ongoing situation has sparked mixed reactions, with some supporting the NLC’s actions and others viewing it as an overstep.
