NLC Moves to Seize Labour Party Offices Nationwide After Supreme Court Ruling

“Ajaero should by now learn that attacking law-abiding citizens, hooliganism and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist”

NLC Moves to Seize Labour Party Offices Nationwide After Supreme Court Ruling

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on its members to mobilize and take control of Labour Party (LP) offices across the country in response to a Supreme Court decision that removed Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman.

NLC President Joe Ajaero, in a strongly worded statement, instructed the LP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to establish an interim leadership to organize a Special National Convention, adhering to the party’s constitution and the court’s ruling.

Ajaero emphasized that any deviation from this process would be an attack on the rule of law, warning, “Such mischief will be fiercely opposed by Nigerian workers and citizens.” He accused Abure of being a disruptive figure manipulated by hidden forces and urged LP members, workers, and democracy advocates to prepare to “peacefully repossess” party offices nationwide. The NLC also cautioned that failure to act would signal the erosion of Nigeria’s state institutions and shared values.

The statement further called on security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service, to uphold the Supreme Court’s judgment, while pressing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to erase all traces of Abure and his National Working Committee from its records. Ajaero stressed that non-compliance would undermine Nigeria’s reputation as a lawful nation.

In response, LP National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh dismissed the NLC’s threats, arguing that the congress lacks the authority to target LP offices since no trade dispute exists. The LP labeled the NLC’s move as “pure blackmail” aimed at pressuring INEC and security agencies into unlawful actions.

The NLC Political Commission and other LP stakeholders are expected to provide further guidance as the situation unfolds, with the congress framing its actions as a defense of democracy and the will of Nigerian workers.

Ifoh, in a statement on Wednesday morning in Abuja, said the party would take every legal means to “deal with Ajero and his gangsters should they attempt to resort to self help.”

The statement reads: “The attention of the Labour Party leadership has been drawn to a statement issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero threatening to attack the offices of the Labour Party across the nation. Ordinarily, we would have ignored that threat but  there is need to assure our teeming members of our commitment to keep the fate and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves to be above the laws of the land 

“We therefore see NLC’s latest threat as pure blackmail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies to do the wrong thing. 

“The Supreme Court is clear about party leadership in which the courts have no business. The Supreme Court stated  that courts can not interfere in the internal affairs of  a political party.  The Courts didn’t sack the NWC nor held the tenure to have lapsed. We advise  Joe Ajaero and his ilks to seek legal advice if they can not comprehend a simple court pronouncement. 

“Nigerians will recall that the Labour Party executive that was elected in 2019 whose tenure was to expire in June 2023, was extended in Asaba for one year by the National Executive Committee of which NLC attended and played a key role. The tenure was to end in June 2024, however, before the end of that duration, the National Convention was conducted in March 2024 in line with our party constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act as amended which ushered in the present leadership. There has never been any vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party.

“We must note that we didn’t go to court with Nenadi Usman or any other person on  account of leadership because leadership was not in dispute. We only went to court to compel INEC to give us uploading code for Ondo state governorship election. This was the case when Nenadi Usman and Mr Nwokocha came to join. 

“We had warned them against the illegality of convening an unauthorised NEC meeting in Umuahia. Every outcome of that meeting is inconsequential, null and void, and of no value. They are again aggregating in Abuja this Wednesday in furtherance of their illegality. 

“Threats to attack offices and organizations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajaero. Recall that in 2024, NLC forcefully broke into our national headquarters carting away valuables. That matter was reported to the police. The recent threat to invade our office was leaked to us by some members of the NLC, hence we alerted the nation.

“Ajaero should by now learn that attacking law-abiding citizens, hooliganism and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist. He should be concerned more about workers welfare. He has since politicised the Labour Union in Nigeria and he is no longer fit to occupy that exalted office. We have once advised him to quit unionism and join politics but he will not listen.

“We must state categorically that the NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office because there is no trade dispute. Based on the trade dispute Act, you can not picket or declare a strike without  a trade dispute. In any case, we do not have any staff of the NLC in our employment. There is no Union in our offices.  their action is purely an illegality. 

“Let it be known that we will take every legal means to deal with Ajaero and his gangsters should they attempt to resort to self help. We will not hesitate to write to the Registrar of Trade Union to discipline them if they resort to taking laws into their own hands.

“Finally, we will seek the protection of the security agencies but where they defy the security agencies, we will have no option but to mobilise our members across the nation to resist them.” Read More