In a dramatic escalation of the internal crisis rocking Nigeria’s Labour Party, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a directive for its members across the country to seize control of the party’s national secretariat and all 36 state offices.
The order, issued by NLC President Joe Ajaero in a memo circulated Tuesday in Abuja, follows last week’s Supreme Court ruling that overturned a previous judgment perceived to support the leadership of Julius Abure. The court’s decision has reignited tensions over who holds legitimate authority within the party.
Union Mobilises Nationwide Takeover Amid Legal Dispute
This development echoes chaotic scenes from March 21, when disgruntled union members stormed the Labour Party’s headquarters in Abuja, an incident the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) described as an orchestrated attempt to seize crucial documents and financial resources.
However, Ajaero insists the actions are justified, arguing that Abure and his allies have defied the Supreme Court and are unlawfully clinging to power. “We warned him over a year ago that Nigerian workers and genuine party members would reclaim what is theirs, no matter how long it takes,” he said.
Call for Security Agencies to Enforce Supreme Court Ruling
In the memo, Ajaero called on workers, Labour Party members, and democracy advocates to brace for a peaceful reoccupation of party offices nationwide. He noted that the NLC’s Political Commission, alongside other groups, will provide further guidelines for the mobilisation.
He also appealed to Nigeria’s security agencies, including the police and Department of State Services (DSS), to enforce the court’s ruling. “The integrity of our democracy is at stake. Failure to act would cast a shadow over our commitment to the rule of law,” Ajaero cautioned.
NLC Demands Interim Leadership, INEC Action
Expressing outrage over Abure’s continued hold on power, Ajaero proposed that the remaining members of the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee appoint a caretaker leadership to organize an inclusive national convention. He emphasized that this move would reflect the party’s constitution and align with the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The NLC president concluded by urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately remove Abure and the current NWC from its official records. “This is a defining moment for our democracy,” he declared. “Nigerian workers will not allow lawlessness to be entrenched in a party founded on their ideals.”
