Resign as NLC President to contest, LP fires back at Ajaero

The Labour Party has asked the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero to resign and contest for the chairmanship position of the party. 

The party was responding to a letter written by the NLC Political Commission – the political wing of the NLC- calling for the suspension of the planned convention of the Labour Party in Umuahia, Abia State. 

The NLC Political Commission also asked the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure to resign immediately with a caretaker transition committee set up to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention

In a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party insisted that the proposed convention would go ahead as the constitution of the party already stipulated those who could take part in it. 

The party said the rascality of the NLC President, Ajaero has destroyed successes already recorded by the party.

The labour party said the undue interference of the NLC on its affairs had become worrisome and had become needful to emphasis the distinction that the party had a life of its own different from that of the NLC. According to the statement, the interference of the present leadership of the NLC on the party was “really choking and we can hardly breathe.”

The statement reads: “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a Press Release titled ‘A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanor gone too far’ written by the NLC’s Political Commission as an agent of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC letter did not come to us as a surprise or a shock, it was long expected before now, having known that the NLC was going to engage itself on this misadventure. 

“Nigerians will recall that in 2014, NLC has been involved in a war of blackmail and attrition against the Labour Party and its leadership. It was only recently, following the civil and diplomatic approach adopted by Barrister Julius Abure when he assumed leadership that he was able to get the then President of the NLC, Ayuba Waba and the then President of the Trade Union Congress, Olaleye Quadri to a truce where the NLC, TUC and Labour Party agreed to work together in harmony.

Unfortunately, the rascality of the current president of the NLC, Joe Ajero has destroyed the successes already recorded. It must be noted that the NLC and its political commission have become a bundle of contradiction and paradox.“The Nigeria Labour Congress has written several letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and to the party on the need to conduct a national convention. In fact, 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 in line with the party constitution.

The leadership of the party in its wisdom has decided to yield to their agitation for a convocation of a national convention.Article 14:4b of our party constitution mandates the National Secretary in consultation with the National Chairman to ‘issue notices of meetings of National Convention, NEC, NWC amongst others. It is in the exercise of this power that the national chairman and national Secretary have called for the convention following the decision of the national executive council of the party. It is therefore ironical for the same NLC which has been agitating for a convention to now be demanding the rationale for the call for a convention

At this point, the leadership of the party wants to ask the NLC, what exactly do they want? If Joe Ajero is interested in the leadership of the party, he is therefore advised to resign as the President of the NLC and join in the contest for the National Chairmanship of the party that is scheduled for the convention on the 27th of March, 2024.

“We must note that undue interference by the Nigeria Labour Congress on the affairs of the party has become worrisome and it has become needful to emphasis here the distinction that the Labour Party has a life of its own different from that of the Nigeria Labour Congress. In fact, the 1999 Constitution states clearly that once a political party is registered, it has a life of its own whereby it can run it’s own affairs without any interference. 

The Electoral Act and the Constitution provide that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can not claim the ownership of the Labour Party. The constitution of the party is clear that it is only those who subscribe to the party and those who are financial members of the party are the owners of the party and therefore can have a say on the affairs of the party.

The interference of the present leadership of the NLC on the party is really choking and we can hardly breath. It is this NLC leadership which pressured on the Party not to give His Excellency, Alex Otti the governorship ticket for the 2023 general election on the ground that he was allegedly not workers’ friendly when he was a Chief Executive of a bank. But today, that same Alex Otti is doing Labour Party proud with the work he is doing in Abia state.