Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Umar Audu
Published on 2024-03-20 17:32:04
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, took to the streets on Wednesday to protest at the Labour Party headquarters, demanding the immediate resignation of the Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure. Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, Deputy President of NLC Political Commission, addressed the press during the picketing in Abuja, stating that the Congress had passed a vote of no confidence in Abure.
The NLC Political Commission had accused Abure of convening a national convention of the party as if he had sole ownership of it. As a result, they called for his prompt resignation. The protesting workers carried placards with messages like “Bye bye to Abure, Labour Party is our party,” “Our party, our hope,” and “Away with corrupt leaders in the party,” among others.
Mr. Ndubuaku explained that the picketing at the party’s headquarters was to express workers’ grievances with Abure’s administration of the party. He emphasized the importance of having a strong opposition party for good governance in the country and highlighted the court judgments declaring the Labour party as owned by the NLC.
Furthermore, Mr. Ndubuaku criticized Abure for not following due process in organizing the party’s convention and urged him to involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process. He expressed concern that the party was being taken over by usurpers who were only looking for financial gain, excluding the individuals who founded the party.
In addition, Mr. Bello Ismail, Acting General Secretary of NLC, mentioned that the commission had tried engaging Abure on party issues, but he failed to inform them about the upcoming convention. He stressed the need for democratic norms to be upheld and for workers to take back control of their party.
Chris Uyot, General Secretary of the Commission, condemned Abure’s unilateral decision-making and stated that they would not allow the convention to proceed without consulting all stakeholders. He affirmed the commitment of Nigerian workers to democracy and their determination to drive out any dictators within the party.
Overall, the NLC’s protest was a bold statement against the alleged undemocratic practices within the Labour Party. They called for transparency, inclusion, and adherence to democratic principles in the party’s affairs. It remains to be seen how Abure and the party leadership will respond to these demands, but it is clear that the NLC is committed to fighting for the rights of workers and the integrity of the party.
Read the original article on DailyNigerian.com
