Power Clash Explodes! NLC Begins Nationwide Occupation OF Labour Party Secretariats

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has directed union leaders to begin mobilizing their members in preparation to take over the 36 state secretariats and the national headquarters of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This directive, outlined in an internal memo obtained by PUNCH on Tuesday, follows a Supreme Court ruling last Friday which overturned an earlier decision by lower courts. The move mirrors a similar incident on March 21, 2024, when disgruntled union members stormed LP offices nationwide. At the time, the party’s National Working Committee accused them of attempting to seize sensitive materials and funds. Despite these allegations, Ajaero insists that the NLC cannot sit idle while Julius Abure’s leadership disregards the Supreme Court’s decision.

“We warned him over a year ago,” Ajaero stated. “Nigerian workers and true Labour Party members will always reclaim what rightfully belongs to them, no matter how long injustice persists. Through this communication, we urge all workers, genuine LP members, and defenders of democracy to stand ready to peacefully reclaim Labour Party offices across the country.”

Ajaero added that further instructions would be issued by the NLC Political Commission and relevant LP stakeholders.

He also put all security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, on alert—urging them to fulfill their constitutional mandate by enforcing the court’s ruling. He cautioned that failure to do so could damage Nigeria’s international standing.

Expressing disbelief over Abure’s continued claim to leadership despite the apex court’s verdict, Ajaero condemned what he described as blatant disregard for the rule of law—one that previously led to the controversial occupation of the party’s headquarters last year.

To resolve the leadership crisis, Ajaero called on the remaining members of the LP’s National Executive Committee to appoint an interim leadership and convene a truly inclusive National Convention, in line with the party’s constitution and the Supreme Court’s pronouncement.

He also demanded that the names of Julius Abure and his allies be expunged from the records of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“We urge INEC, which has always promised to align with court decisions in party leadership disputes, to fully implement the Supreme Court judgment by removing any traces of Julius Abure and his National Working Committee from its portal,” Ajaero concluded.

Attempts to reach the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, were unsuccessful. However, National Secretary Alhaji Umar Farouk commented, “We’ll release a statement shortly. These threats are nothing new—we’re used to their rascality.”