March 24, (THEWILL)- Following Wednesday’s invasion of its secretariats, the leadership of the Labour Party has formally petitioned government institutions requesting that an urgent intervention be taken to protect the party against further aggression from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
In four letters written separately to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Registrar of Trade Unions, Falonipe Amos, the party called for disciplinary action to be taken against the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other union leaders who spearheaded the alleged vandalisation of its property.
In the petition, the party demanded that sanctions be meted out to Ajaero and other union leaders for intimidating their members and destroying their property.
According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifo, the NLC leaders have no right whatsoever to do what they did, adding that the NLC is not the owner of the party.
According to Ifo, the Federal Government, being the regulatory agency of trade unions, should define the role of the NLC, particularly on its alleged claim of owning the LP for which it has continually harassed and interfered in the party’s activities.
He said, among others, “The action of the NLC is a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act, and any other relevant laws. NLC members are not card carrying members of the Labour Party. The Labour Party cannot be owned by any association. The Labour Party’s constitution says the party is open to all Nigerians who accept its ideology, programmes and the constitution, irrespective of their religion, ethnic, gender, social and economic status. “
This is coming on the heels of the lamentation by LP’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, that the party lost property worth millions of naira and some staff salaries to the picketing of its offices by the NLC.
The ongoing conflict between the NLC and the leadership of the LP worsened on Wednesday when members carried out their promise to picket the party’s secretariats across the country. The move was to press home their demand for Abure’s resignation.
About the Author
Amos Esele is the Deputy Editor of THEWILL Newspaper. He has over two decades of experience on the job.
