From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Protesters backing the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, have taken to Abuja on Monday to protest what they labeled interference by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in the affairs of the party.
Carrying placards with messages such as “NLC leave Abure alone; “On Abure’s mandate we stand; “Nnewi National Convention is valid”; they marched from the new LP FCT chapter secretariat to the NLC Political Commission’s stakeholders meeting venue, where discussions on resolving the ongoing crises between the two groups were taking place.
Upon reaching the event venue, the protesters encountered a contingent of heavily armed policemen and multiple patrol vehicles stationed at the entrance.
They were directed to stay outside the main gate of the event center, where they engaged in singing and dancing, while chanting solidarity songs.
This action follows past tensions between the NLC and the Labour Party.
The NLC has earlier accused Abure of managing LP’s operations as a sole administrator, leading to a vote of no confidence in his leadership and a call for his resignation.
The ongoing conflict between the two groups has drawn public interest, sparking debates on NLC’s authority to oversee LP and the root causes and consequences of their disagreement.
The power struggle between Abure’s National Working Committee of the Labour Party and Ajaero’s NLC is jeopardizing the party’s future.
The core issue driving the conflict appears to be the struggle for control over the party’s structure. Key party stakeholders have criticized Abure for allegedly treating the party as his personal domain, a claim he has consistently refuted.
Speaking earlier on, the National Public Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, who addressed party supporters during the unveiling of the new Abuja LP Secretariat, said the event signified the party’s effort to strengthen and build upon its achievements.
He said, “With the unveiling of this ultra-modern office complex for the Abuja Chapter, our great party, under the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure, is set for greater heights.
“This new office accommodation, which was made possible by committed party members, including aspirants, will go a long way in providing a conducive environment for our party to coordinate activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“As you all know, we just had a successful national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, where new leaders were elected to steer the affairs of our great party.
“We are calling on all to join us to rebuild this party and strengthen it for future challenges. We are aware of the antics of a few masquerading as members of the NLC, but we will not be deterred because we remain positive that a new Nigeria is still possible.”
Also speaking, the FCT chapter chairman of the Labour Party, Comrade Peter Diugwu, applauded all of the party aspirants who contributed resources to provide a decent office space for the party to operate.
He said, “We cannot fail to appreciate our party aspirants who made this day possible. It was their sacrifice and commitment that made it possible for us to be here. We thank you all.
“Let me say this, we in the FCT are glad that we had a successful national convention in Nnewi where our leader, Comrade Julius Abure, was re-elected.
“We are happy to report that two national officers emerged from our chapter. We will continue to work closely to take this party to greater heights.”