….Asks LP Chairman To Obey Court Order
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday told the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Julius Abure to obey a judgment of the FCT High Court if he needs the forgiveness if its president, Joe Ajaero.
The court restrained him and two others from parading themselves as national officers of the party but the judgement was set aside by the Court of Appeal in March 2024.
NLC made the demand barely 24 hours after Abure appealed to the union for reconciliation over the crisis between them.
Speaking exclusively with THE WHISTLER, the NLC Head of Information, Benson Upah, said that the union does not shut the doors of negotiations, however, Abure must step down as LP chairman for peace to reign.
Upah said, “Our issues, concern and drive is to ensure that the right thing is done, and for the insult by Abure, we don’t care, even though he insulted all of us, called us thieves, armed robbers, and vagabonds.
“While we are ready to forgive the insults, we would insist that the right and proper thing as contained in the contempt judgement be done. Because nothing can take the place of that”.
Speaking at the LP secretariat on Wednesday in Abuja, Abure had said, “Consequently, I want to appeal first to my brother, friend and Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC whom we have worked together in the trenches over the years in the struggle for workers, to put aside whatever may be his grievances. Let’s work in the interest of our people.
“Fighting the Labour Party is uncalled for and unwarranted, especially at this time when the working people of Nigeria are suffering. As we speak today, the minimum wage is still N30,000.
“For us, we need to team up together to be able to fight for better working conditions for our people. We need not waste or dissipate our collective energies in fighting ourselves over nothing. The NLC should know by now that the attempt being made to take over the leadership of the party will not work. It is my appeal that working together is better.”
The NLC has been advocating for Abure’s removal, accusing the LP chairman of financial malfeasance, attempting to hold an unauthorised national convention in Abia State to keep himself in office, while also alleging that two separate court rulings in 2024 nullified the legitimacy of Abure’s National Working Committee (NWC).
This prompted members of the union, acting on their leadership’s orders, to picket LP offices across the country, demanding Abure’s resignation.
The crisis deepened when the LP responded in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, titled ‘Resign as NLC President to Contest LP Chairmanship, Labour Party advises Joe Ajero,’ noting that the party will not take orders from unionists who are not card-carrying members of their party.
Despite the NLC’s opposition, Abure in March 2024 secured his re-election at the Grand Seasons Hotel in Nnewi, Anambra State.
In response, the NLC referred to Abure’s re-election as an “illegality” adding that “nothing can legitimise such brazen impunity!”.