The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has described the visit of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to protest at the Secretariat as an “unlawful break and entry”.
The party in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh said the action was criminal.
The National Publicity Secretary said the action has attracted the decision of the Labour Party to file a legal action against the party for libel.
The statement reads: “The leadership of the Labour Party has described the unlawful break and entry into its national headquartres by the militant arm of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and colossal destruction of properties as a criminal act, a misplacement of priority and an action done in bad fate.
“The party also notes that the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero’s inordinate ambition have pushed him into losing every sense of discretion and decency in his recent conduct, be it in his affairs with the workers or even the government.
“The party wondered how Ajaero would lead a band of lawless persons who are known to have partisan interests in other major political parties such as the PDP and APC against a recognised independent political party.
“Ajaero’s continuous claim that NLC owns the Labour Party is not in any way supported by either the Electoral Act or the Constitution. For his information, a political party is owned by those who are card-carrying or financial members of the party. We are aware that more than 90 percent of the members of the NLC have not met this condition and therefore cannot claim to be the owners of the party.
“The constitution also provides that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can therefore not claim the ownership of the Labour Party.
“Today, Nigeria is witnessing the worst economic strangulation ever in the history of Nigeria. Issues such as poor workers’ wages, high inflation, and insecurity with Nigeria turning to a Hobbesian state, yet after a year of his assumption of office, Ajaero has chosen to ignore all these national challenges.
“It would interest you to know that Ajaero’s NLC is yet to successfully picket any Federal Government establishment.
“Unfortunately for us in the Labour Party, we do not command any force, unlike the NLC that is now encouraging militancy within its ranks.
“By its constitution, the NLC cannot even call for a picketing of any establishment without a directive of its NEC but what we saw was a political committee acting out an illegal script by Ajaero.
“The committee has no legal right to call an action like picketing or breaking into a political party where most of them are not even members.
“The present NLC leadership is politicised. It has left its primary responsibilities of defending Nigerian workers and has delved deeply into partisan politics and this is a bad omen for the working community.
“We have earlier advised Ajaero to emulate leadership of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri, and Festus Osifo who had or currently passing through a similar route and still maintain a working relationship with the party.
“We are however reviewing today’s criminal actions and disruption of activities in our national headquarters with our legal department for further actions.
“What we saw today appears to be a personal vendetta against the national chairman, Julius Abure who they called several unprintable names including labeling him a thief. We are certainly going to take legal action on matters of libel.“
