Today, stakeholders within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are set to convene for a crucial discussion regarding the ongoing leadership turmoil within the Labour Party and the potential reinstatement of Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman.
Africa Today News, New York, has learned that unionists are proposing the establishment of a caretaker committee to assume control of the opposition party, among various other developments.
“Invitations have been sent out to all relevant stakeholders and members of the NLC Political Commission. The meeting will take place tomorrow (Monday) in Abuja.
“That meeting may seal the fate of Abure as arrangements have been concluded to set up a caretaker committee to take over the leadership of the party,” a source told the press.
This latest turn of events follows a thwarted effort by the party’s Board of Trustees to overthrow Abure and assume control of LP leadership, shedding light on the intensifying power struggle within the party ranks.
Just days ago, members of the Lagos Assembly of Labour Veterans and Trade Unionists, comprised of retired workers, took to the streets in protest, calling for the immediate resignation of the party chairman.
Correspondingly, retirees singled out NLC President Joe Ajaero, urging him to resign from his post for his alleged failure to advocate for their interests and his handling of the party’s leadership feud.
Efforts to elicit a reaction from the NLC’s spokesperson, Benson Upah, were in vain as he could not be reached for comment.
As this story was being filed, Upah remained unresponsive to calls, SMS, and Whatsapp messages seeking clarification, leaving important questions unanswered.
Read also: Abure’s House Burnt Down, Allegedly Escapes Assassination
Shortly after the NLC invitation began circulating widely, the leadership of the Labour Party vehemently objected to the proposed meeting, labeling it as an unauthorized gathering of what they termed as ‘drama boys.’
The opposition party frowned on the proposed gathering as stated in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, titled ‘Proposed NLC Stakeholders meeting a jamboree by drama boys, illegal and outcome a nullity.’
Ifoh further urged law enforcement agencies to intervene and prevent the gathering, emphasizing the need to apprehend the unionists before their intended actions escalate into a public disturbance.
He said, “It has come to the knowledge of the leadership of the Labour Party of a letter of invitation trending in some sections of the media, purportedly written by some desperate characters in the Nigeria Labour Congress, inviting some Nigerians to an illegal stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold on Monday in Abuja, wherein they propose to appoint a caretaker committee for the Labour Party.
“This meeting being organised by some drama boys and attention-seeking personalities in the NLC is illegal as we have not authorised it and it is not supported by any law in the land and, therefore, its outcome, a nullity. We are, therefore, calling on all genuine members of the party to disregard and shun the meeting.
“A few days ago, the Federal Government raised the electricity tariff to about 300 per cent and the NLC has neither responded to it nor called out its members to protest the increment. But it is quick to convene an unlawful meeting of disgruntled members who are not even party members.
“We are calling on the law enforcement agencies to rise to the occasion and abort this gathering which may likely degenerate into a public nuisance. NLC does not have any proprietary right over the Labour Party and, therefore, cannot continue to lay claim to its ownership.”