The face-off between the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Labour Party over the leadership selection process of the party has taken a new twist following a move by the NLC through its political commission to mobilize workers to picket the offices of the Labour Party nationwide.
The NLC in a letter to all its State Council Chairpersons on Tuesday announced that all Secretariat or offices of the Labour Party nationwide shall be picketed by all NLC members and members of the political committee of the Labour Union.
The picketing, according to NLC is to protest the intransigence of the Labour Party national chairman, Julius Abure to unilaterally hold a national convention of the Labour Party as well as his financial rascality and contempt for the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress led by Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The letter reads:
“Sequel to a meeting of the NLC National Political Commission and the leadership of the NLC State Councils and State Political Committees which took place virtually on the 19th of March 2024, it was resolved as follows:
1. That given the intransigence of the National Chairman of the Labour Party to unilaterally hold a National Convention of the Labour Party, financial rascality and contempt for the leadership of the NLC, the NLC State Councils and State Political Committees should mobilise workers to picket all the State Secretariats of the Labour Party, scheduled for Wednesday, 20th March 2024.
2. In view of the soon to be held all-inclusive national convention of the Labour Party, the NLC State Councils and the NLC Political Committees should immediately embark on a statewide mobilisation of workers to join the LC Political Commission and the Labour Party.
3. The NLC State Council and State Political Committees should work with our civil society allies, students, traders and professionals to ensure that the picketing and mobilisation are successfully executed.”
This latest showdown between the NLC and the Abure-led national working committee of the Labour Party has further exposed the many internal wrangling in the party with many fearing the party may soon implode.
Apart from Joe Ajaero and the NLC, Julius Abure in recent days has been on collision course with federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the Labour Party who wrote a letter advising him to postpone the March 27 national convention of the party to allow for proper consultation with stakeholders.
Abure is also on the wrong side of the Obidient, Peter Obi’s private army of fanatical supporters. The embattled National Chairman has also seen his National Treasurer, Ms Oluchi Oparah question his handling of the finances of the Labour Party, which earned her a six months suspension.