The leadership turmoil affecting the Labour Party escalated over the weekend as the National Working Committee of the opposition party alleged that Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, was actively vying to supplant their National Chairman, Julius Abure.
The accusation was made in reply to a public letter penned on Friday by the political branch of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission.
In a letter signed by both Titus Amba and Chris Uyot, the Chairman and Secretary of the commission, it was alleged that Abure and the NWC were planning for a clandestine national convention in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, on March 27. The convention is said to be aimed at re-electing Abure as the sole administrator of the Labour Party.
When highlighting that the circular was approved without consulting stakeholders, notably the NLC, the correspondence further suggested that in April 2023, Abure attempted to prolong his term in office by two years independently. However, the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, intervened to ensure proper procedures were followed and the attempt was thwarted.
The political faction of the NLC denounced the scheduled convention as unlawful and urged Abure to step down from his role as party chairman. They proposed the establishment of a temporary transition committee to oversee a lawful and fully-representative national convention for the party.
However, the leadership of LP opposed the directive, stating that it was being influenced by Ajaero due to his rumored desire to become the next national chairman of the party.
He said, “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a press 4elease titled ‘A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanour gone too far’ written by the NLC’s Political Commission as an agent of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC letter did not come to us as a surprise or a shock. It was long expected before now, having known that the NLC was going to engage itself in this misadventure.
“Nigerians will recall that in 2014, NLC has been involved in a war of blackmail and attrition against the Labour Party and its leadership. It was only recently, following the civil and diplomatic approach adopted by Julius Abure when he assumed leadership that he was able to get the then President of the NLC, Ayuba Waba, and the then President of the Trade Union Congress, Olaleye Quadri, to a truce where the NLC, TUC and Labour Party agreed to work together in harmony.
“Unfortunately, the rascality of the current president of the NLC, Joe Ajero, has destroyed the successes already recorded. It must be noted that the NLC and its political commission have become a bundle of contradiction and paradox. The Nigeria Labour Congress has written several letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission and to the party on the need to conduct a national convention.”