Ajaero Mobilises NLC Take Over Labour Party Offices Nationwide

Ajaero Mobilises NLC to Take Over Labour Party Offices After Supreme Court Verdict

ABUJA – April 8, 2025 | IDNN Reports

The Labour Party crisis has taken a new turn as the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, issued a bold directive for union leaders to mobilise members and take over Labour Party (LP) offices across all 36 states and at the national secretariat in Abuja.

Ajaero’s directive follows the Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday, which, according to the NLC, invalidated the continued leadership claim of Julius Abure and his National Working Committee (NWC).

In an internal memo made available online in Abuja on Tuesday, Ajaero accused Abure’s faction of disregarding the apex court’s ruling and sabotaging the legal and democratic integrity of the party.

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“We Will Peacefully Repossess What Belongs to Nigerian Workers” — Ajaero

Recalling the March 21, 2024 takeover of LP offices, Ajaero maintained that Nigerian workers could no longer stand by while Abure’s team allegedly violates the law.

“We urge every worker in Nigeria, all genuine members of the Labour Party, and all lovers of democracy to be on standby to peacefully repossess all LP offices,” Ajaero stated.

He added that the NLC Political Commission and other relevant organs would soon issue detailed action plans. Furthermore, Ajaero warned that Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies must comply with the Supreme Court’s directive or risk being seen as complicit.

“We are putting the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS on notice. They must enable and enforce the judgment. Anything short of that will reduce this country to a banana republic.”

Call for INEC to Remove Abure from Official Records

Ajaero also directed a demand to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He urged the commission to delete all references to Julius Abure and his team from its official platforms, stating that continued recognition of the faction undermines the Supreme Court’s decision.

“INEC must align with the rule of law. Abure’s name and those of his loyalists must be removed immediately from the electoral body’s portal,” he added.

NLC to Install Interim LP Leadership

To end what he described as a constitutional crisis, Ajaero announced that surviving institutional members of the Labour Party’s NEC would soon appoint an interim leadership. This interim team will be tasked with convening an inclusive national convention, guided by the LP Constitution and in accordance with the Supreme Court’s consent judgment.

This move, Ajaero said, was necessary to prevent further abuse of the party by individuals acting outside legal boundaries.

LP Responds: “We Are Used to Their Rascality”

In a swift reaction, Labour Party National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, dismissed Ajaero’s memo as routine posturing. Speaking to reporters, he said:

“We will soon issue a formal response. The threat is nothing new. We are used to their rascality.”

His comments suggest the Abure-led NWC remains unfazed by the NLC’s renewed campaign, setting the stage for another political confrontation.

Context: Supreme Court Judgment Reignites the Tussle

The Supreme Court’s judgment last Friday nullified earlier rulings by lower courts and reaffirmed the rights of institutional LP organs, a development that the NLC interpreted as disqualification of Abure’s claim to party leadership.

However, despite the ruling, Abure and his loyalists have continued to act as party executives, sparking outrage from pro-NLC stakeholders and reopening old wounds from the March 2024 LP office invasions.

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Timeline of the Labour Party Crisis

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What’s Next?

• Will INEC act on Ajaero’s demand and delist Abure’s leadership?

• Will NLC go through with nationwide takeovers?

• How will security agencies respond if unionists occupy LP offices?

As tensions rise, the future of the Labour Party may rest on how both factions respond to this showdown between organised labour and political actors.