The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has nullified the results of the national convention that reinstated Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party along with his National Working Committee (NWC). In response to this, stakeholders have announced plans to establish a transition committee to oversee the party's affairs until new officers are elected within three months.
Present at the meeting held on Monday were representatives from various groups, including the Chairman of NLC Political Commission, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku; former President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwahed Omar; Chairman of LP Board of Trustees, Sylvester Ejiofor; Coordinator of Obidient Movement, Dr. Moses Paul; LP Plateau governorship candidate, Chief Yohana Margif; Coordinator of the Labour Party Patriotic Members Congress, Dr. Kingsley Okundaye; Kaduna LP Governorship Candidate, Jonathan Asake; and a representative of Persons with Disability in Labour Party, Ihekwoaba Paul.
The stakeholders expressed concerns about the need for a forensic audit of the LP's bank accounts following allegations of corruption, forgery, and fraud, as demanded by presidential candidate Peter Obi. These decisions were outlined in a communique released after the NLC stakeholders' meeting and shared with The PUNCH.
The communique stated, "Owing to the current vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party, the NLC Political Commission moved for an immediate constitution of a transition committee with a mandate to set up structures at national, state, local government, and ward levels for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the Labour Party." It also expressed a vote of no confidence in the purported Labour Party national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, and called for recognition of the transition committee as the interim leadership of LP by INEC and relevant security organizations.
In response, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, dismissed the actions of the NLC stakeholders, asserting that the NWC would not be intimidated. Meanwhile, LP supporters staged a protest in Abuja, expressing their support for Abure and resistance to any attempt to take over control of the party. The protest was halted by security personnel en route to the venue of the NLC stakeholders' meeting.
Solidarity chants of 'We want Abure' echoed through the air as the demonstrators marched from the new Federal Capital Territory chapter of the party secretariat to the Gudu venue of the NLC stakeholders meeting, underscoring the ongoing tensions within the Labour Party.