Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Enahoro Iyemefokhai
Published on 2024-03-21 15:26:36
In compliance with the directives of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Edo State Council of the Union conducted a picket at the State Secretariat of the Labour Party (LP). This action was taken following the orders issued by the national leadership on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, to picket all State secretariats of the Labour Party across the country due to alleged financial impropriety and contempt of court by the National Chairman of the Party, Julius Abure.
Picketing the state secretariat of the party in Benin City on Thursday, the union accused Abure of running the party like a personal business. Suleiman Abubakar, the State Vice Chairman of NLC, led other members of the union in picketing the party’s office and expressed that the party belongs to the NLC and should be inclusive in all its activities. Abubakar also made it clear that the NLC will not allow Julius Abure to impose a candidate on them as the next national chairman of the party.
According to Abubakar, “We were directed across the 36 states of the federation to picket the Labour Party offices. We were supposed to carry out the picketing on Wednesday as directed by the political commission of the NLC, but due to mobilization challenges, we moved it to Thursday. The National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure, is running the party as if it were his personal property. Everyone should be involved, and he cannot hand-pick and impose a candidate on us for the national convention. The right approach is for him to address his issues at the national level and adhere to the rules. We are not influenced by external sources, this action is independent.”
In response, the Publicity Secretary of the Party in Edo State, Sam Uroupa, criticized the NLC for diverting its attention from the primary responsibility of fighting for the interests of workers and focusing on political matters instead. Uroupa highlighted the challenges faced by workers in the country, such as inadequate wages and rising costs of living, arguing that the NLC should prioritize addressing these issues rather than targeting a political party that is not in power.
Uroupa stated, “The Nigeria Labour Congress has deviated from its core responsibility. They should be advocating for improved conditions for workers to ensure a better livelihood. However, they have shifted their focus to engaging with a political party that is not currently governing. Workers are experiencing hardships, struggling to afford basic necessities like food and transportation. The NLC should redirect its efforts towards addressing these pressing concerns instead of engaging in political battles.”
Overall, the picketing of the Labour Party’s State Secretariat in Edo State reflects the ongoing tensions between the NLC and the party’s leadership, highlighting the need for dialogue and resolution to ensure the interests of workers and the integrity of the party are upheld.
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