Julius Abure’s LP NWC: Party Leadership, NLC Bear Fangs, Voids It

By Ayodele Oni

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has voided the return of Labour Party (LP) National Chairman Julius Abure and his National Working Committee (NWC). They were returned at a controversial National Convention held recently in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The NLC, in a communique issued at the end of its Political Commission Stakeholders meeting in Abuja, passed a vote of no-confidence on the convention and the leadership that emerged from it.

The communique made available to newsmen on Tuesday, was signed by the Chairman of NLC Political Commission, Theophilus Ndubuaku; former President of NLC, Abdulwahed Omar; and the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Labour Party, S.O.Z. Ejiofor; among others.

But reacting, the leadership of LP declared that the Political Commission of the NLC is a front empowered for the purpose of one man’s political ambition come 2027.

“The group is unknown to the Labour Party as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ to deliberate let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of the 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts.

“We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress – led Federal Government to distabilise the opposition.”

The NLC stakeholders had resolved that the transition committee should conduct the affairs of the party pending the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention.

They noted that once constituted, the transition committee should fully take over the secretariats of the Party all over Nigeria.

The union stated: “The Transition Committee shall immediately set up an assets recovery process of all the properties of the Labour Party.

“The Transition Committee shall also ensure that all the cases of fraud, impersonation and forgery of government documents pending against a few discredited former officers of the Labour Party are forensically audited.

“It should ensure that the culprits are diligently prosecuted as demanded by leader of the Labour Party – Mr Peter Obi.

“It is unfortunate that the actions of these few dishonourable characters have splashed mud on the white satin of Labour Party.”

The NLC further stated that the transition committee should within three months of its constitution ensure the conduct of an inclusive national convention of the Party.

It added that the process should start from ward congresses to local government congresses to state congresses culminating in an all-inclusive and expansive national convention in Abuja.

It said: “In pursuant to the foregoing, the Transition Committee is mandated by the stakeholders meeting to begin the process of revalidation of current members of the Labour Party.

“Also the registration of new members through the issuance of new membership cards and receipt of membership dues for the purpose of the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the Labour Party.

“It is expected that this mobilisation drive will yield in the first instance a total membership strength of 10 million.”

The union noted that the stakeholders agreed that INEC and others should be officially written immediately to recognize the transition committee as the interim leadership of the Labour Party.