The threat of the Nigeria Labour Congress to invade the party’s offices across the nation was characterised by the Labour Party’s leadership as a covert form of blackmail aimed at portraying the Julius Abure-led leadership as a villain in the eyes of the nation’s security services and Independent National Electoral Commission.
The party added that it will rally people nationally to thwart the assault on its offices and ask the security services for protection.
In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, Obiora Ifoh, the LP’s National Publicity Secretary, revealed it.
Ifoh was responding to NLC President Joe Ajaero’s order on Tuesday for union leaders to start organising their members in preparation for an invasion and takeover of the Labour Party’s 36 offices and national headquarters.
The NLC president’s order follows the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, which overturned the lower courts’ earlier ruling.
They can no longer stand by and watch while the National Working Committee, chaired by Julius Abure, disregards the Supreme Court’s ruling, Ajaero stated.
However, Ifoh cautioned that the NLC leader’s stated hooliganism and rascality should not be viewed as qualities of a good unionist.
He said, “Ordinarily, we would have ignored that threat, but there is a need to assure the teeming members of our commitment to keep the faith and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves to be above the laws of the land
“We therefore see NLC’s latest threat as pure blackmail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies to do the wrong thing.”
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According to Ifoh, the action was similar to the March 21, 2024, invasion, in which irate unions broke into LP headquarters and other offices with the intention of stealing their money and confidential papers, as the NWC characterised.
He said, “Threats to attack offices and organisations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajaero. In 2024, NLC forcefully broke into our national headquarters, carting away valuables. That matter was reported to the police. The recent threat to invade our office was leaked to us by some members of the NLC; hence, we alerted the nation.
“Ajaero should by now learn that attacking law-abiding citizens, hooliganism, and rascality are not traits of a good unionist. He should be more concerned about the workers’ welfare. He has since politicised the Labour Union in Nigeria, and he is no longer fit to occupy that exalted office. We have once advised him to quit unionism and join politics, but he will not listen.
“We must state categorically that NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office because there is no trade dispute. Based on the Trade Dispute Act, you can not picket or declare a strike without a trade dispute. In any case, we do not have any staff of the NLC in our employment. There is no Union in our offices. Their action is purely an illegality.”
Ifoh said the apex court was clear about the position of party leadership and resolving internal matters. The LP spokesman also admonished Ajaero to seek legal counsel if he cannot comprehend the judgment.
“The Supreme Court stated that courts cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The courts didn’t sack the NWC nor hold the tenure to have lapsed. We advise Joe Ajaero and his ilk to seek legal advice if they cannot comprehend a simple court pronouncement.
“Let it be known that we will take every legal means to deal with Ajero and his gangsters should they attempt to resort to self-help. We will not hesitate to write to the Registrar of Trade Unions to discipline them if they resort to taking the law into their own hands.
“Finally, we will seek the protection of the security agencies, but where they defy the security agencies, we will have no option but to mobilise our members across the nation to resist them.”
