Threat To Attack Labour Party, Blackmail On INEC, Security Agencies

The Nigeria Labour Party (LP) has said the Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC’s) threat to attack their offices nationwide is blackmailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to do the wrong thing.

LP said its leadership had been drawn to a statement by the NLC’s President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, threatening to attack the Labour Party’s offices nationwide.

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Iffoh, said they would have ignored that threat ordinarily.

“Still, we must assure our teeming members of our commitment to keep the fate and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves above the laws of the land.

“Therefore, we 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, which the courts have no business. The Court stated that courts can not interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The Courts didn’t sack the NWC or hold the tenure to lapse. We advise Joe Ajaero and his irks to seek legal advice if they can not comprehend a simple court pronouncement,” the statement said.

LP said Nigerians would recall that the Labour Party executive elected in 2019, whose tenure was to expire in June 2023, was extended in Asaba for one year by the National Executive Committee, in which NLC attended and played a key role. The tenure was to end in June 2024; however, before the end of that duration, the National Convention was conducted in 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 the uploading code for the Ondo state governorship election when Nenadi Usman and Mr Nwokocha came to join us.

“We had warned them against the illegality of convening an unauthorised 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 to further their illegality.

“Threats to attack offices and organisations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajero. Recall that in 2024, the NLC forcefully broke into our national headquarters, carting away valuables. That matter was reported to the police. Some members of the NLC leaked the recent threat to invade our office to us; hence, we alerted the nation.

“Ajero should now learn that attacking law-abiding citizens, hooliganism, and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist. He should be concerned more about workers’ welfare. He has since politicised the Labour Union in Nigeria and 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 that the NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office because there is no trade dispute. According to the Trade Dispute Act, you can not picket or declare a strike without a trade dispute. In any case, we do not have any NLC staff, and our offices have no Union. Their action is purely illegal.

“We will use 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 take laws into their own hands,” the statement added.