The Labour Party has issued a stern warning to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman, cautioning them against any attempts to forcibly seize its national secretariat on Monday.
This follows allegations that the NLC intends to break into the party’s offices, steal sensitive documents, and vandalize property, as they have reportedly done in the past.
In a statement released on Sunday, the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, expressed strong disapproval of what he termed an “irresponsible” and “desperate” move by the NLC.
He reminded the public that the NLC, as per the Labour Union laws, is forbidden from engaging in partisan politics, a stance it allegedly violated in previous attempts to disrupt Labour Party operations.
Ibrahim further clarified that the Supreme Court’s ruling on April 5 was unequivocal in mandating political parties to resolve internal disputes through their mechanisms, and did not grant the NLC or Usman’s committee authority to take over the leadership of the Labour Party.
“The judgment is clear. It mandates political parties to resolve their crises using internal mechanisms, and there is nothing in it that grants the NLC or the caretaker committee the right to interfere in the Labour Party’s leadership,” Ibrahim said.
He went on to state that any attempt to usurp the leadership of Julius Abure, who was lawfully elected as the National Chairman in March 2024, would be met with resistance. He called on security agencies to ensure that any actions that might disturb the peace of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) be immediately addressed.
In response, Tony Akeni, spokesman for the Usman-led caretaker committee, dismissed the Labour Party’s claims, labeling them a case of “reverse psychology” and accusing the party of trying to shift the blame for their own illegal actions. Akeni argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling made it clear that Abure was no longer in a position to hold the party’s chairmanship, and it was time for him to relinquish his position to the caretaker committee.
The controversy stems from a Supreme Court ruling earlier this month, which annulled the Court of Appeal’s decision recognizing Abure’s leadership. The judgment emphasized that party leadership disputes are internal matters and outside the judiciary’s jurisdiction. The court also noted that Abure’s tenure had expired, and it subsequently dismissed the appeal filed by his faction of the party.
While the leadership crisis continues to unfold, there have been reports of Abure’s absence, with unconfirmed reports stating that he is currently mourning his father-in-law.
The continued uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts has only fueled speculation and concern regarding the future direction of the Labour Party.
No comments:
Post a Comment