- NLC queried Lagos chairman Agnes Sessi over WoPU activities
- Williams Akporeha rejected the directive as unconstitutional
- The dispute highlights growing political tensions ahead of 2027
A new dispute has emerged within the Nigeria Labour Congress after its national secretariat directed affiliate unions and their officials to distance themselves from Working People United, a group backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the directive has reportedly caused friction within the labour movement, particularly after Lagos State NLC Chairman Agnes Sessi took part in WoPU activities despite the position of the national leadership.
EDITOR’S PICK
- How Lagos Achieved 57.4% Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate
- Shaibu Lists Nigeria’s Biggest Security Challenges
- Vote, Protect Your Mandate, Governor Adeleke Urges Residents Ahead of August 15 Polls.
Sessi also serves as the Lagos coordinator of WoPU, which is led nationally by former Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers President Williams Akporeha.
The NLC national secretariat has reportedly questioned Sessi over her involvement with the organisation.
In a memo dated August 11, 2026, and signed by NLC Deputy General Secretary and Head of Information, Benson Upah, the congress accused the Lagos council chairperson of ignoring its directive and failing to consult the national leadership before associating with WoPU.
The secretariat said her involvement could conflict with the responsibilities attached to her elected position and the oath she took as a labour official.
It further accused her of breaching the congress’s rules and directives, weakening the authority of the national leadership and supporting an organisation operating outside the structure of the NLC.
The development has triggered a broader debate over whether the NLC can regulate the political activities and affiliations of its officials and members as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
However, Akporeha has rejected the NLC’s position, arguing that workers have a constitutional right to belong to political and social organisations of their choice.
In a statement issued on Friday, the former NUPENG leader said the directive amounted to interference with the freedom of association guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
He argued that the NLC should focus primarily on protecting workers’ interests rather than attempting to determine their political affiliations.
Akporeha also accused NLC President Joe Ajaero and some other labour officials of attempting to influence workers to support the Labour Party and its preferred candidates.
He alleged that similar efforts were made during the 2023 general elections and claimed the practice was continuing ahead of 2027.
The WoPU coordinator maintained that the NLC is made up of independent affiliate unions with their own constitutions and decision-making structures.
He therefore questioned the authority of a few national officials to dictate the political associations of individual workers or union members.
The dispute comes as labour organisations and political groups increasingly position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NLC has traditionally been prominent in workers’ welfare, industrial relations and national policy discussions, but its political activities have attracted greater attention since the Labour Party emerged as a major political force in 2023.
The disagreement involving Sessi and WoPU has consequently raised questions about where the authority of the NLC ends and the individual constitutional rights of its officials and members begin.
The response to the query issued to Sessi could determine whether the matter remains an internal disciplinary issue or develops into a broader confrontation within the labour movement.
FURTHER READING
