Labour Party Accuses NLC of Intimidation, Threats to Attack Party Offices
The leadership of the Labour Party has condemned a recent statement by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, which allegedly threatened to launch attacks on Labour Party offices nationwide. In a strongly worded release on Tuesday, the party described the NLC's position as "blackmail" and an attempt to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies into unlawful actions.
According to the statement, the Labour Party expressed concern over the safety of its members and reiterated its commitment to uphold democratic processes while resisting "all forms of rascality and intimidation."
The party referenced a Supreme Court judgment which affirms that courts have no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties, asserting that the court did not remove the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) or invalidate its tenure.
“Comrade Joe Ajaero and his associates should seek proper legal advice if they cannot comprehend a straightforward court pronouncement,” the party stated.
The Labour Party also clarified the timeline of its leadership, noting that the executive elected in 2019 had its tenure extended by one year during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Asaba—an event attended by the NLC. A national convention was subsequently held in March 2024, ahead of the June expiration, in line with the party’s constitution and the amended 2022 Electoral Act.
Dismissing recent NEC meetings convened by rival factions as unauthorized and illegal, the party stated, “Every outcome of that meeting is inconsequential, null and void.”
The Labour Party further accused the NLC under Ajaero's leadership of a pattern of aggression, citing a 2024 incident in which the NLC allegedly broke into the party’s national headquarters. According to the party, that case was reported to the police, and fresh threats were uncovered by insiders within the NLC.
"Ajero should know that lawlessness and hooliganism are not the hallmarks of a good unionist,” the statement read. “He should focus on workers' welfare instead of politicizing the Labour movement.”
The party emphasized that the NLC has no right to picket or attack its offices, citing the absence of a trade dispute and pointing out that no NLC members are employed by the Labour Party.
Vowing to take legal action if any attacks occur, the party warned that it would notify the Registrar of Trade Unions and, if necessary, mobilize its members nationwide to defend its offices.
“We will seek protection from security agencies, but if those protections are defied, we will not hesitate to resist such lawlessness with all legal means at our disposal,” the statement concluded
Read press Release Bellow;
The attention of the Labour Party leadership has been drawn to a statement issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero threatening to attack the offices of the Labour Party across the nation. Ordinarily, we would have ignored that threat but there is need to assure our teeming members of our commitment to keep the fate 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.
The Supreme Court is clear about party leadership in which the courts have no business. The Supreme Court stated that courts can not interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The Courts didn't sack the NWC nor held the tenure to have lapsed. We advise Joe Ajaero and his ilks to seek legal advice if they can not comprehend a simple court pronouncement.
Nigerians will recall that the Labour Party executive that was elected in 2019 whose tenure was to expire in June 2023, was extended in Asaba for one year by the National Executive Committee of which NLC attended and played a key role. The tenure was to end in June 2024, however, before the end of that duration, National Convention was conducted on March 2024 in line with our party constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act as amended which ushered in the present leadership. There has never been any vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party.
We must note that we didn't go to court with Nenadi Usman or any other person on account of leadership because leadership was not in dispute. We only went to court to compel INEC to give us uploading code for Ondo state governorship election. This was the case Nenadi Usman and Mr Nwokocha came to join.
We had warned them against the illegality of convening an unauthorized NEC meeting in Umuahia. Every outcome of that meeting is inconsequential, null and void, and of no value. They are again aggregating in Abuja this Wednesday in furtherance of their illegality.
Threats to attack offices and organizations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajero. Recall that 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.
Ajero should by now learn that attacking law abiding citizen, hooliganism and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist. He should be concerned more about workers welfare. He has since politicized 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.
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 Union to discipline them if they resort to taking laws into their 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.
SIGN
Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party