Labour Party Alleges NLC Plot to Illegally Seize National Secretariat, Warns of Resistance
ABUJA — The Labour Party (LP) has raised serious concerns over what it described as an orchestrated plan by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in alliance with other unauthorized groups, to forcefully take over its national headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement released on Sunday, the LP’s National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, alleged that the NLC, alongside the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) and the National Transition Committee (NTC), is mobilising thugs and hired agents to storm the party’s headquarters beginning Monday, April 7.
According to Ibrahim, the planned operation is allegedly being bankrolled by the Abia State Government and an unnamed high-ranking party figure, with the alleged objective of confiscating sensitive documents and damaging party assets.
“This is a direct threat to public peace and democracy,” Ibrahim stated. “The intention is to unlawfully break into the national headquarters, cart away classified documents, and vandalize the property of the party.”
He described the alleged move as a continuation of what the party views as the NLC’s ongoing interference in LP’s internal affairs. The LP emphasized that trade unions are legally restricted from active participation in partisan politics and criticized the NLC for what it called a pattern of disruptive behavior.
The statement cited a recent Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 5, which the party claims affirms that internal leadership matters must be resolved within political parties and did not empower the NLC, NCC, or any similar group to interfere with the LP’s leadership structure.
“There is nowhere in the judgment that granted the NLC or any so-called caretaker committee the authority to hijack the leadership of our party,” Ibrahim insisted. “Barrister Julius Abure remains the legally recognized National Chairman, having been duly elected at our national convention in March 2024.”
The LP warned that any attempt to usurp the current leadership would be met with strong resistance, signaling a potential escalation in what is already a contentious internal struggle.
In its concluding remarks, the party called on security agencies—including the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS)—to intervene swiftly to prevent any unlawful takeover and to hold all alleged perpetrators accountable.
“We urge security agencies to act immediately to prevent a breakdown of law and order within the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement said. “Those behind this illegal plot, regardless of their influence, must be brought to justice.”
As the internal conflict deepens, analysts warn that the Labour Party could face further fragmentation if the crisis is not resolved through lawful and peaceful means.
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Labour Party Alleges NLC Plot to Illegally Seize National Secretariat, Warns of Resistance