Resign as NLC President to contest LP chairmanship, celebration tells Ajaero

Amidst ongoing management tussle within the Labour Occasion (LP), the celebration’s Nationwide Working Committee has accused the Nationwide President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, of desperately looking for to interchange its Nationwide Chairman, Julius Abure.

The LP made the accusation in an announcement issued by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Saturday.

The assertion was in response to an open letter titled: “A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanour gone too far” written on Friday by the political wing of the NLC—the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Fee.

The fee, within the letter collectively signed by its Chairman and Secretary of the fee, Titus Amba and Chris Uyot, alleged that Mr Abure and the NWC had been proposing a ‘secret’ nationwide conference in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on 27 March that may re-elect the nationwide chairman (Abure) to proceed operating the (LP) as a ‘sole administrator.’

The fee additionally alleged that the round was handed with out the enter of stakeholders, particularly the NLC, including that Mr Abure had in April final yr tried to increase his tenure in workplace by two years unilaterally however was stopped on the occasion of the celebration’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who insisted that the correct factor be completed.

In its assertion on Saturday, the LP stated the NLC letter didn’t come to them as a shock or a shock, noting that it was lengthy anticipated, having recognized that the NLC was going to have interaction itself in what they described as “misadventure”.

“Sadly, the rascality of the present president of the NLC, Joe Ajero, has destroyed the successes already recorded. It have to be famous that the NLC and its political fee have grow to be a bundle of contradiction and paradox,” Mr Ifoh stated.

He defined that it have to be famous that undue interference by the NLC on the affairs of the celebration has grow to be worrisome and that it has grow to be needful to emphasize the excellence that the LP has a lifetime of its personal totally different from that of the Congress.

“Actually, the 1999 Structure states clearly that when a political celebration is registered, it has a lifetime of its personal whereby it might run its personal affairs with none interference,” the assertion stated.

Mr Obiora stated the LP will likely be going forward with its programme and that the conference will likely be held as scheduled.

“We’ve got consulted with our stakeholders and the session is ongoing and we’ll proceed to seek the advice of till March 27, when the brand new management of the celebration will emerge. We’ve got suggested the NLC prior to now that celebration politics is performed on the Ward degree and never on the nationwide degree,” the assertion stated.

It stated: “If NLC is fascinated with taking the management of the celebration, they need to go and interact within the mass mobilisation of its members to hitch the celebration on the grass-root.”

Prior to now, the LP had been engulfed in a management disaster with a faction led by Lamidi Apapa laying declare to the Chairmanship of the celebration.

The Courtroom of Enchantment had on 6 March confirmed Mr Abure because the celebration’s chairman.

Learn the total assertion of the LP beneath:

The eye of the management of the Labour Occasion has been drawn to a Press Launch titled ‘A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanour gone too far’ written by the NLC’s Political Fee as an agent of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The NLC letter didn’t come to us as a shock or a shock, it was lengthy anticipated prior to now, having recognized that the NLC was going to have interaction itself on this misadventure.

Nigerians will recall that in 2014, NLC has been concerned in a conflict of blackmail and attrition towards the Labour Occasion and its management. It was solely not too long ago, following the civil and diplomatic method adopted by Barrister Julius Abure when he assumed management that he was in a position to get the then President of the NLC, Ayuba Waba and the then President of the Commerce Union Congress, Olaleye Quadri to a truce the place the NLC, TUC and Labour Occasion agreed to work collectively in concord.

Sadly, the rascality of the present president of the NLC, Joe Ajero has destroyed the successes already recorded. It have to be famous that the NLC and its political fee have grow to be a bundle of contradiction and paradox.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has written a number of letters to the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC and to the celebration on the necessity to conduct a nationwide conference. Actually, the NLC has queried even the rationale behind the one-year extension which was graciously granted by the NEC in session in Asaba, which is consistent with the celebration structure.

The management of the celebration in its knowledge has determined to yield to their agitation for a convocation of a nationwide conference.

Article 14:4b of our celebration structure mandates the Nationwide Secretary in session with the Nationwide Chairman to situation notices of conferences of the Nationwide Conference, NEC, NWC amongst others. It’s within the train of this energy that the nationwide chairman and nationwide Secretary have known as for the conference following the choice of the nationwide govt council of the celebration.

It’s due to this fact ironic for a similar NLC which has been agitating for a conference to now be demanding the rationale for the decision for a conference.

At this level, the management of the celebration desires to ask the NLC, what precisely do they need? If Joe Ajero is within the management of the celebration, he’s due to this fact suggested to resign because the President of the NLC and be a part of within the contest for the Nationwide Chairmanship of the celebration that’s scheduled for the conference on the twenty seventh of March, 2024.

We should observe that undue interference by the Nigeria Labour Congress on the affairs of the celebration has grow to be worrisome and it has grow to be needful to emphasize right here the excellence that the Labour Occasion has a lifetime of its personal totally different from that of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Actually, the 1999 Structure states clearly that when a political celebration is registered, it has a lifetime of its personal whereby it might run its personal affairs with none interference.

The Electoral Act and the Structure present that no organisation can personal another organisation. The NLC as an organisation cannot declare the possession of the Labour Occasion. The structure of the celebration is obvious that it is just those that subscribe to the celebration and those that are monetary members of the celebration who’re the house owners of the celebration and due to this fact can have a say on the affairs of the celebration.

The interference of the current management of the NLC on the celebration is actually choking and we will hardly breathe. It’s this NLC management which pressured the Occasion to not give His Excellency, Alex Otti the governorship ticket for the 2023 normal election on the bottom that he was allegedly not employees’ pleasant when he was a Chief Govt of a financial institution. However at present, that very same Alex Otti is doing the Labour Occasion proud with the work he’s doing in Abia state.

Once more, the identical NLC tried to prevail on the management of the celebration to add a unique candidate apart from Senator Athan Achonu after he gained the Imo state celebration primaries below the Labour Occasion.

It would shock Nigerians to know that members and officers of the NLC aren’t even card-carrying members of the Labour Occasion. Everywhere in the nation, NLC members have been discovered to be supporting both the APC or the PDP.

It’s once more of significance to make sure clarification as to the so-called judgements that had been referred to by the NLC, we should point out clearly that the Labour Occasion shouldn’t be in default of any courtroom judgement by any means. The settlement reached by the NLC to name for a conference is what we’re following, we’ve absolutely applied that settlement and the conference is consistent with the settlement. We’re due to this fact not in any default of courtroom judgement as erroneously implied by the NLC.

We due to this fact wish to advise the NLC and its fee that it ought to focus solely on its statutory tasks of defending the employees and the employees’ rights.

At present the minimal wage is N30.000 whereas a bag of rice is N80.000. We hear about NLC speak concerning the ethos and ethics of the Labour motion and the Labour Occasion, that is additionally an NLC that can’t name or maintain a strike for one or two days with out calling it off. That is an NLC which can not consider calling a protest and sustaining it in an effort to get the eye of the federal government for the curiosity of the employees.

The current NLC ought to take time to take heed to the opinion Nigerians have shaped about them. Can the NLC of at present in any method be in comparison with NLC of the then Hassan Sumounu, Adams Oshiohmole and some others prior to now?

We should at this level recognize the Commerce Union Congress, TUC and it’s Political Fee below the management of Comrade Festus Osifo who stoutly refused to signal the Press Launch with the NLC on the bottom that it was baseless, frivolous, unrealistic and an proof of energy thirst, which to them was not crucial at the moment contemplating the successes already achieved on the Labour Occasion.

We equally wish to advise Joe Ajero to emulate the management of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri and Osifo in working intently with the celebration.

The ill-intended Press Launch by the Political Fee additionally made a reference to spurious allegations made by the suspended Nationwide treasurer, Oluchi Opara and it tried to offer it some credence. This clearly exposes the mischief by the NLC to hoodwink the individuals. We’ve got acknowledged clearly that the whole cash acquired by the celebration was N1.3 billion and no different report has contradicted it. So for the NLC to be quoting spurious allegations goes to indicate that they’re a part of the challenges the Labour Occasion has been dealing with.

We’re shocked that NLC which was a sufferer of a latest harassment, risk to life and brutalization of its president would specific shock over comparable remedy meted to our chairman, Barrister Julius Abure who was brutalised for political causes and nothing extra. The NLC assertion has it that Abure was arrested for fraud even when the police acknowledged that the arrest was for tried homicide, which in fact was a fabricated falsehood. We’re shocked that the NLC which its President suffered the identical destiny, with bloodied face in Imo state will in a single breath communicate of Abure on this method. This goes to painting the determined characters within the present NLC.

We should additionally state clearly that our chief, Peter Obi made reference to the audit of the marketing campaign account and never forensic audit for the Labour Occasion. In any case, we’ve acknowledged clearly that the Labour Occasion is open to forensic audit of its accounts. We’re even calling on the NLC to ship its personal exterior auditors to test our monetary books. We’re additionally calling on Peter Obi to expedite motion on the auditing of our accounts. And for the NLC to be utilizing this as an affordable blackmail is to indicate their excessive degree of desperation and mischief.

The conclusion of the NLC’s Press Launch is laughable, actually, it didn’t come to us as a shock. It would curiosity Nigerians to know that the NLC has by way of some proxies gone to courtroom severally to combat the management of the celebration, the latest being the case filed by one Ado. Passing a Vote of no Confidence within the management of the celebration is laughable. It clearly exhibits that they neither have nor learn the structure of the celebration.

Article 17:1 of the celebration structure may be very clear on how the nationwide chairman of the celebration may be faraway from workplace. We should state clearly that it is just the Nationwide Conference that may move a Vote of No Confidence within the management of the celebration and never the NLC who aren’t even members of the celebration. Paradoxically, members of the so-called Political Fee who’re being utilized by the NLC aren’t card carrying members of the Labour Occasion. I ponder how people who find themselves staying exterior a home are hoping to intervene in what is going on inside. They merely should not have each the ability and the capability to take action.

Members of the Labour Occasion recognize the management of Barrister Julius Abure who has taken the celebration from obscurity to the enviable place it discovered itself now. It’s below his management that the celebration has discovered limelight. At present within the Labour Occasion, we’ve a governor, senators, home of representatives and meeting members amongst others. At present, the Labour Occasion is the key opposition political celebration in Nigeria.

We due to this fact urge the NLC to go and be taught from different growing democracies the world over, how the Labour actions have given assist to Labour Events the world over in Australia, Brazil amongst others who’ve captured energy of their nations. Such mental exploration has grow to be crucial so we will collectively work in the direction of the products of Nigerians. There’s a want for us to come back collectively and collectively combat the ruling class that has held the nation down for therefore lengthy and has impoverished the nation. It is mindless for us to be combating ourselves.

In conclusion, we observe that the Labour Occasion will likely be going forward with our celebration applications, our conference will maintain. We’ve got consulted with our stakeholders and the session is ongoing and we’ll proceed to seek the advice of till March 27, when the brand new management of the celebration will emerge. We’ve got suggested the NLC prior to now that celebration politics is performed on the Ward degree and never on the Nationwide degree. If NLC is fascinated with taking the management of the celebration, they need to go and interact within the mass mobilisation of its members to hitch the celebration on the grass-root.

SIGN

Obiora Ifoh
Nationwide Publicity Secretary
Labour Occasion