…Uncertainty Over Proposed Convention

Another crisis has engulfed the Labour Party as one of its strongest pillars, the Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday picketed its secretariats across the country and called for the immediate sack of the party chairman, Julius Abure and the postponement of its upcoming national convention.

The political arm of the labour union, also known as the NLC National Political Commission, issued this order following a virtual meeting with the NLC state political committee on March 19, 2024, during which they accused Abure of unilaterally holding the party’s national convention and financial rascality.

In a statement signed by Titus Amba and Chris Uyot, chairperson and secretary of the NLC political commission, respectively, the labour union asked all its members to work together to ensure the closure of party secretariats ahead of the Labour Party’s convention in order to achieve an ‘all-inclusive national convention.’

The statement reads “We bring you fraternal greetings from the Nigeria Labour Congress. Sequel to a meeting of the NLC National 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 NLC Political Commission and the Labour Party.

“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.”

Political Commission and the leadership of the NLC State Councils and State Political Commissions which took place virtually on the 19th of March 2024, it was resolved as follows,”

“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.

“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 NLC Political Commission and the Labour Party.

“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 round of internal crisis in the party began last week when the National Working Committee of the Labour Party and the NLC exchanged words, with the labour union accusing Abure of running the party as the sole decision maker, prompting a vote of no confidence in the LP national chairman.

The labour party also claimed that Abure and the NWC had proposed holding a national convention in Umuahia, Abia State’s capital, on March 27 in order for Abure to be reelected as the party’s chairman. The labour union also requested that the convention, which was originally scheduled for March 29, be postponed.

The Labour Party, on the other hand, accused the NLC of interfering with its activities, chastising its chairman, Joe Ajaero, to resign his current position in order to run for national chairmanship of the party at its convention on March 27, 2024.

The party also stated that the NLC’s interference in their party’s affairs has become concerning, adding that there is a distinction between the party and the Labour Union, and that the Labour Union must recognise that the party must have its own life.

As the conflict continues to grow, the members of the Labour Congress have taken to the streets to execute the order of its leadership.

It was only recently that the Court of Appeal helped to resolve the factional crisis in the party between the Julius Abure group and the Lamidi Apanpa group.

The House of Representatives caucus of the party has advised that the national convention be postponed to allow for more consultations among its different constituents. But the Abure leadership is determined to go ahead and is reported to have moved the convention from Benin to Abia state which is controlled by the party.