Tensions escalate within the Labour Party on Saturday as the National Working Committee accuses Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), of actively vying to oust National Chairman Julius Abure.

The NWC’s allegations come in response to a recent open letter penned by the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission on Friday.

In the letter co-signed by Titus Amba and Chris Uyot, Chairman and Secretary of the commission respectively, accusations surfaced against Abure and the NWC.

They were alleged to have proposed a covert national convention set for March 27 in Umuahia, Abia State’s capital, aimed at reinstating Abure as the Labour Party’s sole administrator.

The letter raised concerns over the lack of stakeholder input, particularly from the NLC, regarding this decision.

Additionally, it claimed that Abure previously attempted to unilaterally extend his tenure by two years in April 2023 but was thwarted by the intervention of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who insisted on following proper procedures.

Describing the proposed convention as illegitimate, the NLC’s political faction demanded Abure’s immediate resignation as party chairman. They advocated for the establishment of a caretaker transition committee to oversee a lawful and inclusive national convention.

In response, the Labour Party leadership rejected the directive, alleging it was orchestrated by Ajaero in pursuit of his alleged aspiration to become the party’s next national chairman.

In a statement titled “Resign as NLC President to Contest LP Chairmanship, Labour Party Advises Joe Ajero,” LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, asserted the party’s independence and refusal to take orders from unionists who are not official party members.

Ifoh additionally affirmed that the slated national convention scheduled for March 27 in Umuahia would proceed as initially planned.

He said, “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a press 4elease titled ‘A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanour 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 in 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 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 and to the party on the need to conduct a national convention.”

Continuing, Ifoh emphasized that the party leadership had heeded the call for the national convention, pointing to the explicit support provided by Article 14:4b of the party Constitution.

He further suggested that if the NLC president and his allies were dissatisfied with the provision, Ajaero should consider resigning from his position and formally declaring his candidacy to contest against Abure.

Nevertheless, he urged the unionists to contemplate becoming active members of the party at the grassroots level, stressing the importance of genuine political involvement starting from the grassroots.

“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 have advised the NLC before now that party politics is played at the ward level and not at the national level. If NLC is interested in taking the leadership of the party, it should go and engage in the mass mobilisation of its members to join the party at the grassroots.

“It will shock Nigerians to know that members and officials of the NLC are not even card-carrying members of the Labour Party. All over the country, NLC members are supporting either the APC or the PDP.

“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 emphasise here the distinction that the Labour Party has a life of its own different from that of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“We therefore want to advise the NLC and its commission that it should focus only on its statutory responsibilities of defending the workers and the workers’ rights.

“In conclusion, we note that the Labour Party will be going ahead with our party programmes and our convention will be held. We have consulted with our stakeholders and the consultation is ongoing and we will continue to consult until March 27 when the new leadership of the party will emerge.” It added