Labour Party Confirms NLC’s Sacking Of Its National Secretariat, Lambasts Joe Ajaero, Threatens Court Action
THE National Working Committee of the Labour Party has faulted the nationwide picketing of its party secretariats by the Nigeria Labour Congress, describing it as an abuse of power.
The LP in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, also confirmed that the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, allegedly led a band of “lawless persons who are known to have partisan interests in other major political parties” to break into its national headquarters in Abuja.
SaharaReporters had reported that the NLC directed its members on Tuesday to mobilise workers and lay siege to the LP secretariats across the country to protest the party’s national convention planned for March 27.
Scores of protesting NLC members had gathered at the LP national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, chanting solidarity songs and calling for the sacking of the party leadership.
But the LP in a terse statement said, “The leadership of the Labour Party has described the unlawful break and entry into its national headquarter by the militant arm of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and a colossal destruction of properties as a criminal act, a misplacement of priority and an action done in bad fate.
“The party also notes that the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero’s greed and inordinate ambition have pushed him into losing every sense of discretion and decency in his recent conducts, be it in his affairs with the workers or even the government.
“Ajaero’s continuous claim that NLC owns the Labour Party is not in any way supported by either the Electoral Act or the Constitution. For his information, a political party is owned by those who are card-carrying or financial members of the party. We are aware that more than 90 percent of the members of the NLC have not met this condition and therefore cannot claim to be the owners of the party. The constitution also provides that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can therefore not claim the ownership of the Labour Party.
“Today, Nigeria is witnessing the worst economic strangulation ever in the history of Nigeria. Issues such as poor workers’ wages, high inflation and insecurity with Nigeria turning to a hobbesian state, yet after a year of his assumption of office, Ajaero has chosen to ignore all these national challenges.
“It would interest you to know that Ajaero’s NLC is yet to successfully picket any Federal Government establishment. His attempt to extend his rascality to Imo State was met with a higher and brutal force. Unfortunately for us in the Labour Party we do not command any force unlike the NLC that is now encouraging militancy within its ranks.
“By its own constitution, the NLC cannot even call for a picketing of any establishment without a directive of its NEC but what we saw was a political committee acting out an illegal script by Ajaero. The committee has no legal right to call an action in the nature of picketing or breaking and entering into a political party where most of them are not even members.
“The present NLC leadership is politicised. It has left its primary responsibilities of defending Nigerian workers and has delved deeply into partisan politics and this is a bad omen for the working community. We have earlier advised Ajaero to emulate leadership of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri and Festus Osifo who had or currently passing through a similar route and still maintain a working relationship with the party.
“We are however reviewing today’s criminal actions and disruption of activities in our national headquarters with our legal department for further actions.
“What we saw today appears to be a personal vendetta against the national chairman, Julius Abure who they called several unprintable names including labeling him a thief. We are certainly going to take legal action on matters of libel.”
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