The Labour Party has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress to cease interfering in its affairs, as directed by the Registrar of Trade Unions in Nigeria, Mr Falonipe Amos.
This was stated by the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Mr Obiora Ifoh, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
The NLC has been in dispute with the LP leadership over proprietary rights claims, insisting that it owns the party. The registrar’s intervention followed a letter from LP National Chairman, Mr Julius Abure, dated July 10, 2024, entitled: Request for Your Urgent Intervention: The Need to Define the Roles of NLC.
According to Ifoh, Amos stated that the Act establishing the NLC does not permit it to interfere in the political activities of any political party. Amos referred to Section 15 (1) (2) (3) of the Trade Unions Act, which provides that “On no account should NLC be involved in the running or patronising political parties or persons into elective office.”
Amos also cited Section 15(1) of the Trade Union Act, which states that it is illegal for NLC or any other trade union to use funds generated by its members for the furtherance of any political objective. The section specifies that this includes “the making of contribution towards the funds of any political party.”
Additionally, the section bars NLC from paying expenses incurred by a candidate or prospective candidate for election to any political office in Nigeria.
“I wish to urge the leadership of NLC to be guided by the above provisions of the Trade Unions Act in dealing with Labour Party and any other political parties,” Ifoh quoted the registrar as saying.
