Labour Party has forwarded the petition to all the concerned authorities, regarding an alleged unlawful brake into its National Headquarters Abuja, and vandalization of its properties, at the same location on Wednesday.
LP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh on Friday, demanded the concerned authorities to take necessary steps and disciplinary actions, against the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and other leaders of the trade union, over the Wednesday vandalization in its headquarters.
According to the party, Ajaero has overreached himself by using workers’ funds to picket and sponsor an insurrection in the LP headquarters.
LP further claimed that the NLC action, was an abuse of office, noting that the NLC should be called to order and proper sanction should be melted on the labour union.
Following the crisis between the NLC and the LP, the leadership of the LP, had ordered its members to protest and also demand Abure’s removal as the party’s National Chairman.
In its reaction via the statement, LP said: “Aftermath of Wednesday’s criminal breaking and entry into the premises of the Labour Party and vandalisation of its properties, the leadership of the party has formally petitioned relevant government institutions requesting that an urgent intervention be taken to protect the party and that disciplinary action be taken against the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other leaders of the union.
“The Labour Party also wants the government being the Regulatory Agency for trade unions to define the role of the NLC, particularly on its false claim of being the owner of the Labour Party for which NLC has continually harassed and intimidated the leadership of the party by way of interfering in the party’s activities and attempting to impose leadership on it.
“In a separate letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Labour and Employment, as well as the Registrar of the Trade Unions, the Labour Party through its Chairman, Barrister. Julius Abure and National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim maintain that Comrade Ajaero has over-reached himself by using workers’ funds to picket and sponsor insurrection in the Labour Party headquarters, an action which amounts to an abuse of office and should therefore be called to order and properly sanctioned.
The letter reads, “It has become unavoidably necessary to request your urgent intervention, being the Regulatory Agency for trade unions including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has over the years engaged in a war of attrition with our party. It came to a head and unbearable when the NLC under the leadership of Comrade Joe Ajeoro directed the picketing of our party’s National Headquarters and our chapter offices across the country. The unwarranted attack in our office destroyed several properties.
“The NLC claims to be owners of the party and therefore wants to impose the leadership of the party, exerts overwhelming control to achieve a political end. It must be pointed out that once a Political Party is registered by INEC it becomes a body corporate with a perpetual succession and a common seal (see the letter of INEC to NLC dated 3rd September 2015) where INEC stated clearly that the NLC has no superior status.
“Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that, a Political Party once registered has a life of its own and is only regulated by its constitution. It is imperative to note that by the import of the above provisions, whosoever plays any role whatsoever in the registration of the party becomes immaterial. The party will thereafter be regulated by its constitution.
“It should be noted that Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) prohibits any association from contributing to the funds of any Political Party. It is a criminal offence under section 15 of the Trade Union Act to use Trade Union Funds whether directly or indirectly to fund a Political Party.
“We argue that using workers’ funds to picket and sponsor insurrection in the Labour Party headquarters and its legitimate leadership is an abuse of office by the Presidents of the NLC Comrade Joe Ajaero and should therefore be called to order and properly sanctioned.
“Similarly, the NLC has no right to picket an organization where there is no trade dispute. The Labour Party has no staff who are members of the NLC. The actions of the NLC are a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act and other relevant laws.”
On the membership of the party, the petition notes that “It is of importance to further draw your attention to the fact that it is only members who are financially up to date with the party, who have rights and obligations to in the party (See Article 9(3)(i) and (iii) of our constitution).
“NLC members are not card-carrying members of the Labour Party. The Labour Party cannot be owned by any association. Membership of the Party is on an individual basis. The Labour Party’s Constitution says the Party is open to all Nigerians who accept its ideology, programs and constitution, irrespective of their religion, ethnicity, gender, social and economic status.
“However, the organs of the party as decided by the members assume leadership of the party. How this is achieved is well spelt out in the constitution.
“As lawful citizens, we didn’t want to confront them in an uncivilized manner to avoid a breakdown of law and order. We had the option of also mobilizing party faithful to confront them. Doing that at this point where the harsh economic climate is taking its toll on the Nigerian people will result in anarchy. Hence, the an urgent need to call the NLC and its leadership led by Comrade Joe Ajaero to order, educate them on the limit of their power, condemn their rascality, and abuse of office and discipline them as appropriate.”
