NLC demand for removal of Julius Abure
By Kenneth Udoakpan
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a protest at the national secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) in Abuja on Wednesday. The demonstrators called for the postponement of the party’s upcoming national convention and demanded the immediate resignation or removal of Julius Abure as the LP’s national chairman.
The situation escalated, leading to police intervention to maintain order at the gates of the secretariat premises. The protesting NLC members carried placards with various inscriptions, chanted solidarity songs, and rallied around a loudspeaker placed in a stationary van outside the secretariat terraces.
The NLC had previously issued a press statement on Tuesday, instructing its members across the states to picket all LP secretariats nationwide. The statement cited “financial rascality and contempt for the leadership of NLC” by Abure as the reason for the protest action.
The NLC has repeatedly accused Abure of unilaterally attempting to hold a national convention in contravention of the party’s constitution.
Last week, tensions between the NLC and LP escalated as the NLC passed a vote of no confidence in Abure and called for his resignation as the LP chairman. The NLC alleged that Abure was running the party’s affairs as a sole administrator.
In response, the LP suggested that if Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, was eager to succeed Abure as the LP chairman, he should resign from his position at the NLC and contest during the party’s national convention.
The NLC also called for the postponement of the LP’s national convention, initially scheduled for March 29 but later changed to March 27. The LP stated that the date change was due to the initial date falling on Good Friday, an important Christian observance.
However, the LP maintained its stance on holding the national convention on March 27, dismissing the NLC’s demand for a postponement.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, titled “Picketing All Labour Party Offices Nationwide,” the NLC announced its decision to picket LP offices nationwide. The statement was signed by Titus Amba and Chris Uyot, the chairperson and secretary of the NLC’s political commission, respectively.
The statement called on NLC state councils and political commissions to mobilize workers to join the protest and picket LP state secretariats. Additionally, it urged the councils to collaborate with civil society allies, students, traders, and professionals to ensure the success of the picketing and mobilization efforts.
Reference
Published in Arise news Nigeria Labour Congress Protests, Demands Removal of Labour Party Chairman Julius Abure by Chioma Kalu