Ajaero Should Focus On Workers’ Welfare, Not Politics — LP

The Labour Party, led by Julius Abure, has promised to resist any plan by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, to attack the party’s offices across Nigeria.

This was made known in a statement on Tuesday evening by Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party. He was reacting to the alleged threat from the NLC President.

Ifoh also denied claims that the recent judgment from the Supreme Court removed the Julius Abure-led leadership of the party.

In his words, Ifoh said, “Ordinarily, we would have ignored that threat but there is need to assure our teeming members of our commitment to keep the fate and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves to be above the laws of the land.”

He described the NLC’s alleged threat as a form of pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to act wrongly. Ifoh stated, “We therefore see NLC’s latest threat as pure blackmail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies to do the wrong thing.”

According to him, the Supreme Court has been clear on the matter of party leadership, stating that the courts cannot interfere in a party’s internal affairs. He said, “The Supreme Court is clear about party leadership in which the courts have no business. The Supreme Court stated that courts can not interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The Courts didn’t sack the NWC nor held the tenure to have lapsed. We advise Joe Ajaero and his ilks to seek legal advice if they can not comprehend a simple court pronouncement.”

He further explained that the Labour Party leadership elected in 2019 had its tenure extended in Asaba in June 2023 by the National Executive Committee, with NLC present at the meeting. A new national convention was held in March 2024 before the expiration of the extended tenure, following the party’s constitution and electoral laws. Ifoh stressed that there has never been a vacuum in the party’s leadership.

Ifoh clarified that the court case they had was not about leadership but was to compel INEC to give them the uploading code for the Ondo State governorship election. He added, “We must note that we didn’t go to court with Nenadi Usman or any other person on account of leadership because leadership was not in dispute. We only went to court to compel INEC to give us uploading code for Ondo state governorship election. This was the case Nenadi Usman and Mr Nwokocha came to join.”

He warned that the meeting held in Umuahia by some members was unauthorized and its outcome is of no effect. He said, “We had warned them against the illegality of convening an unauthorized NEC meeting in Umuahia. Every outcome of that meeting is inconsequential, null and void, and of no value. They are again aggregating in Abuja this Wednesday in furtherance of their illegality.”

The Labour Party also accused the NLC under Ajaero of using threats and violence. Ifoh said, “Threats to attack offices and organizations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajero. Recall that in 2024, NLC forcefully broke into our national headquarters carting away valuables. That matter was reported to the police. The recent threat to invade our office was leaked to us by some members of the NLC, hence we alerted the nation.”

He advised Ajaero to focus on workers’ welfare instead of attacking the party. Ifoh stated, “Ajaero should by now learn that attacking law abiding citizen, hooliganism and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist. He should be concerned more about workers welfare. He has since politicized the Labour Union in Nigeria and he is no longer fit to occupy that exalted office. We have once advised him to quit unionism and join politics but he will not listen.”

Ifoh stressed that the NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office since there is no trade dispute. He said, “We must state categorically that NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office because there is no trade dispute. Based on the trade dispute Act, you can not picket or declare a strike without a trade dispute. In any case, we do not have any staff of the NLC in our employment. There is no Union in our offices. their action is purely an illegality.”

Finally, the Labour Party promised to take legal steps against Ajaero and his supporters if they attempt to take the law into their hands. Ifoh said, “Let it be known that we will take every legal means to deal with Ajero and his gangsters should they attempt to resort to self help. We will not hesitate to write to the Registrar of Trade Union to discipline them if they resort to taking laws into their hands.”

He concluded by saying the party would seek protection from security agencies but will also mobilize its members to resist any attack. Ifoh declared, “Finally, we will seek the protection of the security agencies but where they defy the security agencies, we will have no option but to mobilise our members across the nation to resist them.”
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