NLC Orders Members To Picket Labour Party Offices Nationwide

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has escalated its conflict with the leadership of the Labour Party, issuing directives for its state councils and political commission to picket Labour Party secretariats across the country on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

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In a letter dated Tuesday, March 19, 2024, and signed by the chairperson of the NLC Political Commission, Titus Amba, and the secretary, Chris Uyot, the NLC stated: “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.”

This directive comes after the NLC National Political Commission and the leadership of the NLC State Councils and State Political Committees held a virtual meeting on March 19, 2024.

The conflict stems from allegations made by the National Working Committee of the Labour Party on Saturday, March 16, accusing Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, of attempting to replace Julius Abure, the Labour Party National Chairman. This followed an open letter from the NLC’s political wing, which raised concerns about Abure and the NWC’s plans for a national convention in Umuahia, Abia State, on March 27, aimed at re-electing Abure as the sole administrator of the Labour Party.

The NLC’s political wing deemed the planned convention illegal and is demanding Abure’s immediate resignation as the party chairman, as well as the formation of a caretaker transition committee to organize a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention.

However, the Labour Party leadership strongly opposed the directive, alleging that it was driven by Ajaero’s supposed desire to become the next national chairman of the party. The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, stated: “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.”

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The NLC’s Tuesday directive concluded: “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.”

As tensions escalate, the NLC’s planned picketing of Labour Party offices nationwide is set to take place on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

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