On Wednesday, the Labour Party (LP) leadership condemned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) threat to invade its offices nationwide, calling it a calculated attempt to discredit the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) in the eyes of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies. The LP vowed to enlist security forces and rally its members nationwide to thwart any such action.
LP National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh addressed the issue in a statement from Abuja, responding to NLC President Joe Ajaero’s Tuesday directive to mobilize union members to seize the party’s 36 state offices and national secretariat. Ajaero’s order followed a Supreme Court ruling last Friday that overturned prior lower court decisions, prompting him to accuse the Abure-led NWC of flouting the apex court’s stance.
Ifoh, however, dismissed the NLC’s move as “subtle blackmail” aimed at pressuring INEC and security bodies into unjust actions. He warned that Ajaero’s approach—marked by “hooliganism and rascality”—undermines the qualities of a responsible unionist. “We could have brushed this aside, but our members deserve reassurance that we’ll stand firm against intimidation from those who act above the law,” Ifoh stated.
He referenced a prior incident on March 21, 2024, when unionists forcibly entered LP headquarters, allegedly stealing documents and valuables—an act reported to the police. Ifoh claimed the latest threat, leaked by NLC insiders, echoes that aggression. “Attacking offices has become Ajaero’s signature. He’s politicized the labour movement and lost sight of workers’ welfare. We’ve urged him to abandon unionism for politics, but he refuses,” he added.
Ifoh argued that the NLC lacks legal grounds to target LP offices, citing the Trade Dispute Act, which requires a trade dispute for such actions—none exists, as LP employs no NLC staff. He also clarified the Supreme Court’s ruling, noting it barred courts from meddling in party affairs and neither ousted the NWC nor deemed its tenure expired. “Ajaero should consult a lawyer if he can’t grasp the judgment,” he quipped.
The LP pledged to pursue legal action against Ajaero and his “gangsters” if they proceed, threatening to petition the Registrar of Trade Unions for disciplinary measures. While seeking security protection, Ifoh emphasized that should these fail, the party would mobilize its members nationwide to resist the NLC’s actions.
