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NLC rejects Abure’s re-election as LP chairman, says ‘its illegal’
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress has promised not to recognize Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, following his re-election.
Abure was re-elected as the party’s national chairman during a national convention held on Wednesday in Nnewi, Anambra State.
During the convention, all members of the National Working Committee returned.
However, the positions for representatives of both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress remained unfilled.
Responding to the convention’s decision, NLC spokesman Benson Upah stated that the Congress would never support the party under Abure’s leadership.
Upah described the convention as a sham and told our correspondent that the NLC considers the return of the national chairman to be null and void.
He said, “It’s an illegality, a nullity. The whole exercise was a charade! Nothing can legitimize such brazen impunity.”
When asked about Labour’s next course of action, the NLC’s head of information responded via text message, “You wait and see.”
In the recent week, the party’s national convention produced a lot of fire.
On Wednesday, at least five people were caught on the convention grounds allegedly intending to cause trouble in the arena.
The arrested individuals were allegedly distributing inflammatory pamphlets critical of the party’s leadership.
They were eventually turned over to the authorities for interrogation.
In a communiqué signed by Abure and his National Secretary, Umar Farouk, the party declared that the LP’s presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, had been permitted to run as party candidates again in 2027.
The statement partly read, “The convention in session, based on the antecedents of the presidential candidate before, during, and after the 2023 general election, recommended that the 2027 presidential ticket of the party be solely reserved for His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the national leader of the party.
“Furthermore, the convention in session reviewed the ongoing development and performance of its governor in Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, and passed a vote of confidence on him and recommended the 2027 Abia State gubernatorial ticket of the party be reserved for His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti.”
Continuing, the party’s leadership urged President Bola Tinubu to address mounting incidences of insecurity in Kaduna and other northern states.
The party also supported the restructuring and decentralization of policing architecture, paving the way for regional, state, and municipal police.
“The convention in session also noted with concern the renewed insecurity in the country, especially in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and other states.
“The convention hereby calls on the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, which is the primary responsibility of the government.
“We also call for a general restructuring of the security architecture to meet the current security challenges facing the nation.
“The convention advocated for decentralization of the Nigerian Police Force to pave the way for regional, state, local, and community policing,” it stated.
