The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday stormed the national secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja to protest the party’s national convention planned for end of this month.
The congress also demanded the sacking of the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
The NLC leadership accused Abure of planning to hold a “secret” convention without the inputs of major stakeholders.
The planned convention has pitched Abure against the NLC and the House of Representatives caucus.
The workers accused Abure of planning to destroy the Labour Party.
Policemen have refused the protesting workers entry into the party secretariat.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party had accused Ajaero, of making desperate attempts to replace Abure.
The allegation was a response to an open letter written on Friday by the political wing of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission.
The letter raised allegations against Abure and the NWC, claiming that they had put forward plans for a national convention in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, on March 27.
“That given the intransigence of the National Chairman of the Labour Party to unilaterally hold a National Convention of the Labour Party, financial rascality and contempt for the leadership of the NLC, the NLC State Councils and State Political Committees should mobilise workers to picket all the State Secretariats of the Labour Party, scheduled for Wednesday, 20th March 2024,” the letter partly read.
The convention was said to be aimed at re-electing Abure as the sole administrator of the Labour Party, with concerns of secrecy surrounding the event.
The political wing of the NLC deemed the planned convention illegal and is demanding the immediate resignation of Abure as the party chairman.
They are also calling for the formation of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention for the party.
However, the LP leadership opposed the directive, alleging that it was driven by Ajaero’s supposed desire to become the next national chairman of the party.
