“Proposed NLC Stakeholders Meeting A Jamboree By Drama Boys and Attention-seekers” – Labour Party

The Labour Party (LP), through its National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh on Sunday, vehemently denounced what it termed an “illegal stakeholders meeting” allegedly organised by “drama boys” and “attention-seeking personalities” within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Ifoh’s statement came in response to invitations circulated to the purported meeting slated for Monday in Abuja. The meeting was aimed at appointing a caretaker committee for the party.

According to Ifoh, the party’s leadership did not sanction the gathering, which he alleged was orchestrated by “desperate characters” within the NLC. He asserted that the meeting lacked legal standing and thus urged genuine party members to disregard it.

He said:

It has come to the knowledge of the leadership of the Labour Party of a letter of invitation trending in some sections of the media purportedly written by some desperate characters in the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC inviting some Nigerians to an illegal stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold on Monday in Abuja wherein they propose to appoint a caretaker committee for the Labour Party.

This meeting being organised by some drama boys and attention-seeking personalities in the NLC is illegal as we have not authorised it and it is not supported by any law in the land and therefore its outcome, a nullity. We are therefore calling on all genuine members of the party to disregard and shun the meeting.

Insinuating that the congress misplaced its priorities, Ifoh accused the NLC of prioritising unlawful meetings of disgruntled members who are not party members over addressing issues such as the Federal Government’s decision to raise the electricity tariff by nearly 300 per cent.

Few days ago, the Federal Government raised the electricity tariff to about 300 per cent and the NLC has neither responded to it nor has called out its members to protest the increment but it is quick to convene an unlawful meeting of disgruntled members who are not even party members.

We are calling on the law enforcement agencies to rise to the occasion and abort this gathering which may likely degenerate to public nuisance, he said, stating that the NLC have no proprietary right over the party and thus cannot continue to lay claim to its ownership.

Following the statement issued by Ifoh, women and youth supporters of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Comrade Julius Abure, stormed the venue of the Congress NLC Stakeholders Meeting on Monday, protesting the congress’ continuous harassment and interference in the party’s internal affairs.

They carried placards with inscriptions reading “On Abure’s mandate we stand,” “NLC leave Abure alone,” and “Nnewi National Convention is valid,” among others, as they marched from the new FCT chapter office, located a short distance from the NLC event venue.

Upon arriving at the venue, a group of heavily armed policemen and patrol vehicles greeted the protesters, guarding the gate and restricting them to the outer perimeter of the event centre gate. There, they vocalised their displeasure through songs of solidarity.

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