Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, stormed the national headquarters of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja, to express their displeasure with current party leadership and the perceived betrayal of the party’s foundational principles.
The Labour Centre called for the resignation of the national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, whom it said has converted the party to personal gain and straying from the party’s ideology which NLC said was established to champion the cause of working class and serves as an advocate for the betterment of Nigerians.
The acting general-secretary of the NLC, Comrade Ismail Bello, who led members of the Congress’ political commission to the LP office, asserted their determination to take the party back and restore its original vision.
He said that Abure has planned to conduct a secret national convention of the party without the involvement of the NLC.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the NLC political commission made similar call for the resignation of Abure over “illegal” scheduling of national convention in March, 2024.
According to the chairperson of the commission, Comrade Titus Amba, and Secretary, Comrade Chris Uyot, the move by Abure was made without any communication or consent from the Congress, which they described as an “aberration” and a deviation from the party’s ethos of solidarity and camaraderie.
They further accused Abure of operating the party under a “sole administrator” style, a point of contention that has been a source of internal conflict within the party.
The NLC political commission has also criticised the Labour Party leadership for not aligning with the expectations of Nigerian workers and the general populace, who see the Labour Party as a beacon of hope against the betrayal by the country’s established political parties.
In light of these events, the NLC has passed a vote of no confidence in the LP national chairman and called for his immediate resignation.
They were also demanding the formation of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate and inclusive national convention of LP, following due process from the ward to the national level.
