LP crisis: NLC ‘sacks’ Abure-led NWC, sets up transition committee

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it has sacked the Julius Abure-led national working committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP).

In a communique issued at the end of its political commission stakeholders meeting in Abuja, the NLC passed a vote of no-confidence on the March 27 national convention that re-elected Abure as chairman.

The NLC said it approved the constitution of a transition committee at its stakeholders’ meeting, under the leadership of the NLC political commission, to manage the affairs of the party in the interim.

The stakeholders resolved that the transition committee should conduct the affairs of the party pending the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention.

“That the Transition Committee shall immediately set up an assets recovery process of all the properties of the Labour Party,” the communique reads.

“The Transition Committee shall also ensure that all the cases of fraud, impersonation and forgery of government documents pending against a few discredited former officers of the Labour Party are forensically audited.

“It should ensure that the culprits are diligently prosecuted as demanded by leader of the Labour Party – Mr. Peter Obi.

“It is unfortunate that the actions of these few dishonourable characters have splashed mud on the white satin of Labour Party.”

The stakeholders held that that the transition committee should, within three months of its constitution, ensure the conduct of an inclusive national convention, adding that the process should start from ward congresses to local government congresses to state congresses, “culminating in an all-inclusive and expansive national convention in Abuja”.

“In pursuant to the foregoing, the Transition Committee is mandated by the stakeholders meeting to begin the process of revalidation of current members of the Labour Party,” the communique added.

“Also the registration of new members through the issuance of new membership cards and receipt of membership dues for the purpose of the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the Labour Party.

“It is expected that this mobilisation drive will yield in the first instance a total membership strength of 10 million.”

The stakeholders asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to take note of the new developments in the party.

They agreed that a correspondence be dispatched to INEC for official recognition of the transition committee as the interim leadership of the LP.

The stakeholders said the LP is a party for all Nigerians regardless of ethnic, religious, regional, social and economic orientation or status.

STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ILLEGAL, SAYS LP

Reacting to the stakeholders meeting, Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the LP, said the NLC stakeholders meeting is a “jamboree by drama boys”.

He said the meeting is illegal and its outcome a nullity.

The LP spokesperson asked members of the party to disregard the meeting.

“NLC does not have any proprietary right over the Labour Party and therefore cannot continue to lay claim to its ownership,” Ifoh said.