The Umuahia Stakeholder Meeting and the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee are lawful and legitimate Says NTC

Being a Text of Press Conference by the Leadership of the Labour Party National Transitional Committee (NTC) on September 11. 2024 

We are members of the leadership of the National Transition Committee of the Labour Party. The NTC of the Labour Party is a group fully paid-up members of the Labour Party and the Obedient Movement who have contributed immensely to the development of the Labour Party throughout the years. Many of us in the National Transition Committee are gubernatorial candidates of the party and some of us contested for different legislative offices in the national and state under the party. The NTC emerged after many all-inclusive stakeholder meetings after the end of the tenure of the Abure-led Exco and the crises which his corrupt and illegal administration imposed on the party. 

The NTC engaged and mobilized all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the party recovers itself from Abure illegality and corruption. That process bore fruits as INEC, as the regulator of political parties in Nigeria, informed Barrister Abure that his tenure had expired and have made diligent efforts not to recognize him as a Chairman of Labour Party at every meeting of the heads of political parties. In fact, INEC had on occasion asked him to vacate the chair meant for Chairman of Labour Party. These interventions by the NTC has culminated in the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party in Umuahia. 

We want to state unequivocally that the National Transitional Committee (NTC) facilitated by the Nigerian Labour Congress as the Trustee of the Labour Party fully accepts and commends the decision of the NEC of Labour Party its meeting on September 4, 2024. We fully support the setting up of a 29-man Caretaker Committee to prepare and conduct democratic congresses to elected party leadership at the Ward, LGA, State and National levels in line with Labour Party constitution and the Electoral Act, 2023. The NEC organized by the Governor of Abia State is the most welcome intervention needed to save the Labour Party at this time from the illegalities and corruptions of the Abure hostile capture. We believe that this intervention is in line with the expression of the democratic will of the millions of Nigerians who ae members of the Labour Party and its supporters, and who does not want the party to die at the hands of political contractors who have been procured to destroy the party.

As expected, Abure and his cohorts have gone to town to spread falsehood about the committee and the state of affairs in the Labour Party. As the group that actually midwifed the current positive result in the  Labour Party. We owe Nigerians the duty to present the facts as they are to prevent Abure from running away from his corruption and illegalities which INEC had recognized and confuse the people on the present efforts by the Governor of Abia State and NEC to get the party back to the path of legality and integrity as Nigeria’s favourite opposition party.

   

1. On Legitimacy Of The Umuahia Meeting:

We want to make it clear that The STAKEHOLDERS MEETING held in Umuahia had every form of legitimacy and transparency. It was called according to the constitution of the Labour Party which bestows on the NEC the powers to file any vacancy that exists before another convention. In fact the meeting has “an overdose of legitimacy and transparency” – the sort of which can only come from the “best leaders who live and breathe integrity and rule of law”.

Anyone who is familiar with the events that has occurred in the party will know that Abure and co had no legal capacity to remain and identify themselves as executives of Labour Party. The tenure was ended long ago and they continued to illegally hold on to power with a clear mandate from his sponsors to destroy Labour Party before the 2027 general elections. But we have ended that illegality and rascality. We have commenced a journey to retrieve and reposition the party through the Umuahia. 

We should not forget that our party was thrown into an ‘all-time low’ by the greed and desperation of one man and his few co-travellers, who want to be undemocratic leaders in a democracy – elected leaders without election and due process. Abure and his cohort violated court judgements and Regulatory Agreements signed by both the party and INEC. Unfortunately, they led our party to a dead-end where for three (3) months the Labour Party existed without INEC recognized leadership from June 9th 2024 till the September 4th 2024 Umuahia meeting.

The meeting at Umuahia is constitutionally valid based on the provisions of the Labour Party constitution. You all know that the valid Labour Party Constitution is a public document hosted on INEC Website. Article 14 Section 2B(xvi) gives NEC power: “To fill vacancies in the NWC as they may occur from time to time in between conventions”. The expiration of the tenure of Abure’s NWC on June 09, 2024 meant that they ceased to be members of NEC from that date. But there are other “statutory members of NEC” whose tenure were still valid namely – the Governor and Deputy Governor of Abia State; the President and General Secretary of NLC; the President and Secretary General of TUC; the Chairperson NLC Women Commission (see Articles 14 section 2A from (iii – xviii) and the BOT Chairman and Secretary (see Article 9 section 1C)

Our leaders were required by Constitution to call a meeting of the nine (9) remaining members of NEC to appoint replacements for the vacancies in NWC, but they chose to call the nine NEC members in addition to all elected leaders, candidates in the last general election, and all major stakeholders including even the expired NWC members. In fact, the owners of the party, from the founders to all its leaders from sub-national to national leaders akin to shareholders and Board of Directors in Company’s AGM. That is why I described the Umuahia meeting as “overdose of legitimacy and transparency”, as it met and exceeded constitutional requirements.

2. On The Formation of Caretaker Committee: 

It is laughable that Abure will raise objection to NEC/Stakeholders’  appointment of Interim Leadership for LP when himself is a double beneficiary of similar appointments in 2021 and 2023. In 2019, Abure was elected Deputy National Secretary of LP. The National Secretary resigned and Abure became Acting National Secretary. Unfortunately, the National Chairman Alhaji A. A. Salam died in 2021 and the then Deputy National Chairman North Mrs Maria Lebeke became Acting National Chairman. There was also a Deputy National Chairman South – Alhaji Lamidi Apapa. How Abure jumped from Ag. Secretary to National Chairman without election and without valid NEC appointment remains a study in ‘Gestapo criminality’.

So for the records, Abure was never elected National Secretary or National Chairman neither was he legitimately appointed Chairman as there was no constitutional pathway to migrate from Deputy Secretary to Chairman. This will be story for another day. However, his self-imposed emergence in 2021 was to complete the tenure of the late Alhaji Salam which expired in June 2023. Notwithstanding the Consent Judgement and INEC brokered Agreement, Abure deceived the new Party Leaders into appointing his NWC for another one year, which finally expired June 9, 2024.  

So, Abure’s NWC from inception to expiry; renewal and another expiry were “Caretaker Appointments” – first tenure illegitimate, second tenure deceitfully obtained. Whereas, the appointment of Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman’s Caretaker NWC fulfils every aspect of constitutional due process and satisfies the utmost transparency. It is Abure who betrayed all due process and hijacked a political party without election.

3. On Gov. Otti’s Role In Labour Party Affairs:

Abure and his gang attacked the role that Governo Otti played in resolving the crisis that Abure imposed on the party. Anyone who has been following the happenings in Labour Party will not accuse Gov. Otti of not showing sufficient (if any at all) interest in LP affairs or of being against Abure. In fact, many will rather accuse the Governor of being too Pro-Abure. You will recall that while Abure was building his “castle-on-sand” by conducting his illegal Nnewi Convention in violation of Consent Judgement and INEC brokered Agreement; and without any Ward, LGA and State Congresses, the Governor was not aware of the illegalities due to his non-interference and distance from party affairs until INEC banned Abure and his NWC posing existential danger to LP and all her elected officials – the Governor inclusive. Even at that, it took INEC invitation and directives for the Governor to accept to fulfil his statutory duty as the ‘highest elected office holder’ in LP and surviving member of NEC with constitutionally binding duty. So, the Governor has shown great restraint and respect for due process in his intervention. It is Abure who has mistaken commitment to rule of law for condonement of his corrupt and reckless conducts.

4. On Concerns Over INEC Recognition:

The most embarrassing event for Labour Party in 2024 was the day Abure was thrown out of the quarterly meeting of Chairmen of all Political Parties with INEC Chairman in INEC Headquarters Abuja in June 2024. He had attended uninvited. He was also not invited to the August meeting and he dared not attend again. By his own admission in his famous speech delivered at the illegal NEC Meeting of September 9th, 2024 titled “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born”, Abure declared that the Access Code for uploading Polling Unit Agents for Edo and Ondo States were handed directly to the LP Governorship Candidates for those States. These are usually exclusively handed to National Chairmen of Parties but now given to our candidates because we don’t have INEC recognized Chairman. These and many similar situations led INEC to seek Otti’s intervention to resolve the lacuna in Labour Party leadership.

5. On The Composition Of The Caretaker Committee:

Members of the new Caretaker Committee are representatives of the various core stakeholder groups in Labour Party – from founding Labour Unions to elected officials and Governorship Candidates in the last election among others. The Chairman and Secretary are former Senators and Minister whose experience and character lend a breath of fresh air to a party with badly damaged reputation rooted in destructive reputations of its officers. Imperfections (if any) would be corrected in the most decent manner as expected in normal human compositions.

The new Chairman had been a card-carrying member of Labour Party since 2022 before the general elections of February 2023; and she had been contesting and winning state and national elections for decades before joining Labour Party.

6. On The Nullification Of The Umuahia Meeting’s Outcome By Abure:

This is when nullity calls validity null and void. It can only be the ranting of a drowning man. May be, he was enjoying the void created by his indiscretion as a paid Agent sponsored by opposition party to terminate LP.

Otherwise, he must know that solution to this self-imposed harm should rank the party’s interest over and above his personal interest; which by the way is not harmed in any way. For avoidance of doubt, Abure and his NWC are free to contest for any offices of their choice in the Congresses and Convention being organized by the Caretaker Committee.

7. On Abure’s Loss Of Leadership Control:

It is mischievous that Abure refers to Umuahia meeting as the gathering that removed him from office when the truth is that INEC had removed and derecognized him since June 9, 2024. What Umuahia meeting did was to ‘commence treatment’ on the terminal illness imposed on LP by Abure and co. His utterances and actions since the meeting is a revelation of the dangers we lived with without knowing it.

8. On Abure’s Fear Of Diminished Influence:

Those must be imaginary diminished influence because he has a choice – to toe the path of honour and quit while the ovation is still loud or walk down the valley of dishonour by holding onto an expired non-existent office and sacrifice whatever influence and dignity he acquire from the Office LP National Chairman.

Let me remind him that no politician in Nigeria, and I dare say Africa, drags popularity or influence with our Party’s National Leader H.E Mr. Peter Obi; and Abure may do well to note that PO was never as popular or influential as he is today while he was in office as Governor. He grew in popularity/influence by his dignified conduct out of office – quitting while the ovation was loudest, refusing to collect his exit pension largesse, charity works, dedication to public good among others lifted him. A valuable lesson for Abure and co is that influence is earned, not given or taken. And it is better to be a part of an elephant than the whole of an ant. More so, democratic Chairmen are elected not self-imposed; the chance to emerge elected Chairman of LP is not diminished but now more credible.

 

9. On Damage To Party Unity And Image:

The emergence of Nenadi Usman led leadership for LP has not created any parallel leadership for labour party. It is a child of necessity born to fill a vacuum wilfully created by expiry of Abure;s NWC without valid elections to replace them.

This new leadership is strictly for purpose of organising congresses and convention to elect new leaders for the party – an assignment Abure had opportunity to do but chose not to, until their tenure expired.

It must be stated that Labour Party is bigger than any individual or group and its interest supersedes those of any individual or group. Abure’s dream of factional leadership of LP is only imaginary, as he is standing with only those he had appointed ‘unopposed’ at national and sub-national levels. Unknown to him, even those are lobbying for accommodation in the new leadership/followership. He will soon look back and realize that he is standing alone.

Millions of Nigerians joined or became sympathetic to LP because of Peter Obi Profile and the good work Gov. Otti is doing at Abia State. None did because of Abure and his gang. If anything, a lot of Peter Obi admirers had left LP because of the negative influence of Abure. He will do well to bow out with honour and enjoy his constitutional entitlement of elevation to Board of Trustee (BOT) reserved for all former National Chairmen without dishonour and criminality. This privilege guaranteed by Article 9 of LP Constitution will be extinguished by forceful exit and probe.

We assure all members and supporters of the Labour Party that the party has been recovered from the illegitimacy and illegality under the hand of Abure. Now, that a caretaker committee of the party members appointed legally by the NEC of our party to prepare and organize a democratic convention based on democratic congresses to elect party officials, we are now in the good position to mobilize and prepare Nigerians to replace the failing APC government and install a people-oriented and truly progressive government that will secure Nigerians and end the ravaging spectre of poverty. It is obvious that Abure and his followers are working to truncate the progress of the labour party. They will fail because all actions taken at the Umuahia meeting convened by the Governor of Abia State and other remaining members of the BOT are in line with the constitution of the Labour Party, the Electoral Act and the directive of the electoral umpire, the INEC.

We advise Abure and his cohort to be wise and come back to the fold and show gratitude for the party that tolerated their illegally regime and have not decided to cure the party of such illegitimacy caused by their illegal hijack of power.

A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE AS A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE.

An Open letter to President Bola Tinubu by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, on the State of the Nation

Your Excellency,I bring you good tidings from the more than 65 million Yoruba of South-West in Nigeria, including Edo, Delta, Kwara and Kogi States.

I also write this letter to you as one of the more than 200 million people God created as Nigerians.

We have no regret that we were created to inhabit this geographical space in the West African axis of the African continent.

In fact, we are happy to be here because I don’t know any country in the world that God has blessed, in terms of natural and human resources, like Nigeria.

Obviously, past leaders, since 1960, disappointed Nigerians with the way ‘Nigeria and Nigerians were badly led and resources selfishly managed’.

When you came with the ‘Emilokan’ coinage in the build up to the 2023 elections, many Nigerians were persuaded that as a democrat exposed to modern way of governance, you will perform better than Muhammadu Buhari, a soldier who deepened the poverty levels of Nigerians and increased insecurity from 2015 to 2023.

Today, events have proved that they were wrong.

Mr.President, to say the truth without minding whose ox is gored, you have really disappointed many Nigerians who thought you were the messiah they were waiting for.

The facts are there to speak for themselves.

On May 29, 2023 when you became the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigerians, the price of a litre of fuel was less then N200.

Today, it is more than N1000.

As the Minister of Petroleum, I ask you, what type of reforms is this?

In May 2023, Naira to a Dollar was less than N740.

Now, your two right-hand men when you were Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, Wale Edun (Finance Minister) and Yemi Cardoso (CBN Governor) are in charge of the economy.

What exactly are the fiscal, economic and financial briefings they give you daily to convince you that they know what they are doing in those two offices?

When Buhari left on May 29, 2023, many Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief that insecurity would soon become history.

Pitiably today, from the North to the South, East to the West, the rate at which Nigerians are being abducted and some killed, even after ransom was paid, it was as if these blood-thirsty maniacs have just been unleashed on Nigerians from the hottest part of hell.

As the Commander-in-Chief,the rising spate of insecurity across the country has put to question the kind of briefings you get on daily basis, especially, from the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja,and other Security Chiefs on their modus operandi to send these killers to where they belong?

In August, many Nigerians came out to express their frustration on the way you are governing them.

Today, some of those arrested have been charged with treason.

In the Comity of Nations, who does that? Is that the way governments are overthrown, with placards?

Human rights activists are being harassed by security agents on a daily basis and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have become soft targets of sycophants who speak sweet words to your ears for selfish reasons.

Many Nigerians know the ‘radical’ role you played when you were Governor, and even after 2007, when you galvanised and mobilised them to challenge the status quo at the national level.

Now that you are in government, protest has suddenly become a criminal offence.God is indeed Great!!!

The plain truth is that the

recent fuel price increase by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), an agency which is under your office as the Petroleum Minister, is an attack on Nigerians.

Obviously, your administration is becoming indifferent, insensitive and unresponsive to the plights of millions of Nigerians who can no longer meet their daily needs.

This is a brutal assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.

I think you and your party should be sensitive to the plights of Nigerians.

Mr.President, don’t you think the wicked and draconian increase in fuel price, especially, at this time that Nigerians have been pushed to the wall, is a huge recipe for crisis?

Nigerians can no longer bear this economic hardship any longer.

I am writing this letter to you because of the pressure I am going through from millions of Nigerians, who erroneously, believe that I don’t want to tell you the truth because the two of us are eminent Yoruba citizens.

The truth is that the perverted, opaque, unintelligible, wicked and corrupt handling of the petroleum sector and continuous increase of fuel price under your administration (with the NNPC threatening us the price will still go up) without due regard to the laws of the land and wellbeing of Nigerians is akin to telling Nigerians to go to hell.

Mr.President, if a few of your advisers are telling you that all is well, I can confidently inform you that they are your enemies.

Former President Buhari was here and Nigerians proved to him that they were bigger than him.

If you don’t reverse this ugly trend immediately, soon, the situation may trigger further hardship across the country.

Under your watch as the President, the APC-led administration has consistently shown itself to be anti-people, unconcerned and deaf to the agonies of millions of Nigerians.

Today, more than 75 per cent of Nigerians have sunk below the poverty line. Businesses are collapsing like a badly-arranged pack of cards and the centre can no longer hold in many households.

With over 32 per cent inflation rate and close to 40 per cent unemployment rate which are expected to rise further with the latest dictatorial increase in fuel price, it is obvious that your administration offers no hope to Nigerians.

In the past 16 months,your administration has been using propaganda, power of coercion and rough tactics to oppress Nigerians.

For how long do you honestly think that despotic strategy will last?

Since last year, you have visited many countries, the latest being China.

Do you think your foreign counterparts treat their citizens the way you are treating Nigerians?

Mr.President, remember your promises to Nigerians during your numerous campaigns to all the nooks and crannies of this great country?

In just 16 months into your administration, your campaign promises have suddenly become failed promises?

Your Excellency, do you remember an Austrian-German who became the Commander-in-Chief in Germany in 1933?

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945?

Hitler, an elected democrat,

quickly transformed a democratic republic into a constitutional dictatorship.

The Fuhrer vowed to destroy democracy through the democratic process. And he did with the destruction of Germany in 1945.

Before the destruction,

the Nazi leader disabled, then dismantled the Weimar Republic.

The Fuhrer crushed political opposition, destroyed the economy and ultimately undermined Germany’s democratic structures.

When Hitler became history on April 30, 1945, Germany was in total ruins.

But due to the determination of Germans, today, that country has the biggest economy in Europe.

I hope I am wrong but I see a linkage between what happened during the ascendancy of Hitler into power and what is happening in Nigeria today.

Anyway, Nigeria is bigger than any individual.

Mr President, the time is ticking.

Ask this simple question: Are my reforms working?

I come in peace.

Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams

Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland

September 10, 2024.

LP Crisis: Peter Obi, Otti Write INEC for Validation of Senator Nenadi Led 29-member Caretaker Committee

 The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the last general election, Mr. Peter Obi, and Governor of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, have written to the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to notify the regulatory body of the setting up of a 29-member caretaker committee to organise the party ‘s congresses and national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days.

The letter, dated September 6, 2024, and signed by Obi and Otti, also informed the INEC chairman of the leadership crisis in the party.

The letter formally unveiled the names of the 29-member caretaker committee.

In the letter, Obi and Otti, who convened the September 4 expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, where the committee was set up, stated, “You will recall that Labour Party had had a leadership crisis in recent times culminating in the de-recognition of the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC effective June 2024. This is sequel to the settlement brokered by INEC on June 27, 2022.”

The letter said the settlement was founded on the consent court judgement by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on March 20, 2018.

“A major part of the settlement states that an all-inclusive national convention, preceded by ward, local government and state congresses shall be convened not later than one year after signing the terms of settlement,” the letter said.

It added that because of the 2023 general election, the implementation of the agreement was deferred by one year to 2024.

Obi and Otti stated in the letter, “By March 2024, the Abure-led NWC organised a convention at Nnewi without first organising ward, local government and state congresses. This fell short of the standards and the spirit of the terms of settlement as stated above. In the light of all these, a leadership vacuum arose in the party. In like manner, the National Executive Committee membership got depleted leaving less than 10 members standing.”

The letter explained, “Given the above scenario, the statutory executives of the party made up of the governor, deputy governor, and legislators, in addition to all surviving members of NEC, the leadership of organised labour, representatives of governorship candidates in the 2023 election and subsequent ones, presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2023 election and other party leaders, met in Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 and set up a caretaker committee to organise congresses and the national convention within a period not exceeding 180 days to fill the vacuum created by the expiration of the tenure of the erstwhile leadership of the party at all levels.”

Obi and Otti also informed the INEC chairman that Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha were appointed by the stakeholders’ meeting as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the party’s caretaker committee.

The letter also listed other members of the committee representing critical stakeholders of the party.

They included representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, and Comrade Chris Uyot.

According to the letter, the senate is being represented by Senators Victor Umeh, Neda Imasuen, and Ireti Kingibe, while the House of Representatives is represented by Hon. Afam Ogene, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, Hon. Sunday Umeha, Hon. Donatus Matthew, and Hon. Esosa Iyawe

The former governorship candidates of the party were represented by Ken Pela (Delta), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (Lagos), Jonathan Asake (Kaduna), and Edward Pwajok (Plateau).

The members of the state Houses of Assembly in  the caretaker committee included Hon. Edosa Richard, Hon. Harrison Oghara, Hon. Augustine Okezie, and  Hon. Clinton Amadi

Representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the committee were Mohammed Misau, Austin Jonah, and Sansa Omalara.

According to the letter, the other members of the caretaker committee are Edwin Bafte Sajo, Nike Oshola, Aishat Madijiem, Ugoeze Caroline Onwubiko, and Dominic Essien.

Abure is Gone!!!!!

Tenure long expired!!!!

Plan and attend to LP congresses on the command of madam capacity Sen. Nenadi Usman.

2027: Senator Nnenadi Usman led caretaker committee, a good step for LP Rebirth in Nigeria — Oyo State Stakeholders

Nnenadi

The concerned Labour Party stakeholders in Oyo state has said Senator Nnenadi led caretaker committee is a right step in right direction for the party, going forward to 2027.

The stakeholders also called for caretaker committees for the party across the states of the federation.

The recent NEC/Expanded Stakeholders meeting conveyed by Governor Alex Otti of Abia state which also has in attendance Mr. Peter Obi, national assembly members, NLC, TUC Representatives and NTC leadership and other stakeholders successfully appointed a Caretaker Committee to oversee the affairs of the Labour Party in Nigeria and to organize a national convention in the near future.

The concerned stakeholders in Oyo state called it a welcome development.

According to a statement signed by Comrade Dele Abiola on behalf of the concerned stakeholders said the installation of a rescue caretaker committee for the Labour Party is long overdue.

"It is still not too late prepare the party and even make it more viable and strong ahead of 2027 general elections"

"Nigerians need alternative political platforms to APC and PDP and Labour party has filled this vacuum. It's our collective responsibility to propell the party upto the expectations of the masses"


"We extolled the decisive roles play by His Excellencies, Mr Peter Obi, Alex Otti and other stakeholders in rescuing the party from self-centered individuals holding the party into ransom" the statement said.


The newly formed LP National Caretaker Committee is chaired by Senator Nnenadi Usman while Senator Darlington Nwokeocha is serving as Secretary.


The extended stakeholders of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia state constituted a 29-member national caretaker committee to be headed by a former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, to run the affairs of the party for three months leading to its national conventions

Other members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), including former governors and members of both State and National Assemblies.


It should be noted that in Oyo state, LP stakeholders had in a meeting in Oyo town passed a vote of no confidence on the now Dissolved state exco calling on the transition committee to oversee an installation of a caretaker exco for the party in the state.

INVITATION OF JOE AJAERO BY YHE NIGERIA POLICE : COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)

 NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS

MOTTO:LABOUR CREATES WEALTH

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS:                                LAGOS OFFICE:

Paschal Bafyau Labour House                                     29,Olajuwon Street,

Plot 820/821 Central Business District                                Off Ojuelegba Road,

Federal Capital Territory,                                         P.O.Box 620,Yaba,

P.O.Box 1071 PMB 566 Garki,Abuja.                                 Lagos-Nigeria.

Tel:08117077418,0811 707 7419

E-mail:[email protected] Website:www.nlcng.org

COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

 MEETING OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) HELD ON

 TUESDAY,THE 20TH OF AUGUST,2024*

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the recent developments surrounding the invitation of the President of the Congress,Comrade Joe Ajaero,by the Nigeria Police Force.This invitation is premised on a clearly unfounded and politically motivated investigation into alleged terrorism financing,cybercrime,subversio, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.

The NEC notes with grave concern that rather than extending the apology demanded by the Congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunting. This is nothing but a travesty and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the working people and their leadership, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labour Organization (ILO)Conventions 87 and 98.

In light of this, the NEC of the NLC resolves as follows:

We Shall Honour the Invitation: As a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process,the NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for extension of time given the nature of the invitation. However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimize the baseless allegations levelled against him.

Condemnation of the State's Actions: The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other Labour leaders. We view this as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the labour movement, which has always stood as a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.

Call for the State to Desist: The NEC warns the state to desist from its evil intentions and stop the ongoing witch-hunt against the leaders of the Congress forthwith. The Congress will not sit idy by while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders are trampled upon with impunity by the State.

 

The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilizing their members across the nation. The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the Congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the State; NEC puts all its affiliates and state councils to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 Midnight today.

The NEC calls on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress in this critical moment. The fight against injustice and oppression is a collective one, and we urge all Nigerians to rise in defense of our shared democratic values.

The Nigeria Labour Congress remains resolute in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of workers and the Nigerian people. We shall not be cowed or intimidated by these desperate attempts to silence us. We stand firm in our resolve to uphold justice, fairness, and the rule of law in our beloved country.

Comrade Ado Sani Minjibir

Deputy President

Planned Nationwide Citizens' Mass Protests achieved its Purpose before Commencement

 MEDIA RELEASE 

1st August, 2024

Planned Nationwide Citizens' Mass Protests achieved its Purpose before Commencement 

....... Government must now move Swiftly and Sincerely to Engage Protesters and Implement Emergency Promises Made to Citizens 

....... If Government Acts, Protesters Bound to Review Protest Plan and Time Frame

The Leadership of the organised Civil Society under the umbrella of United Action Front of Civil Society, UAFCS, rising from a major assessment meeting of its Situation Room in the early hours of today, August 1st is compelled to urgently make some interventions on the nationwide citizens' mass protests on hunger in Nigeria following the plea by the lead  Solicitor of the initiators of the Nationwide Citizens' Protest, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN that the plan for the protest should be reviewed since it has already achieved its essential purpose before commencement 

Our profound X-ray of the nationwide protests vis a vis the strong appeal by the lawyer of the organisers and the emergency responses of government to the planned protests at our situation room this morning essentially agrees with the submission of Mr Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN that with the sharp responses to the nationwide citizens' protests by various levels of government nationwide coupled with the numerous promises and panicky steps taken by government at all levels as well government frantic appeals to citizens for time and restraint, the protest in our sincere view has already achieved fifty percent of its purpose.

However, the concern of most leaders of the organised Civil Society is the long-standing history of government treachery and unreliability as touching its promises to citizens and peoples of Nigeria. This trust deficit between government and citizens in Nigeria is self inflicted by government officials notorious for abandoning and ditching promises and commitments made to the people without scruples or batting an eye lid, which is why the organisers of this protest would like to stay out on the streets of Nigeria until government yields to their demands and starts implementing them

Therefore, in the light of this grave concern about the reputation of government that we call on the Federal Government and Government at all other levels of Nigeria that if they are indeed serious and sincere about their various promises and pleas towards averting the Citizens' Action, to immediately identify, invite and engage leaders and organisers of the nationwide mass protests to negotiate citizens demands and the implementation of agreements reached during the negotiations so as to enable Protesters reduce the days of the nationwide protests as requested by Mr Ebun Adegboruwa SAN.

For us, the ball is purely in the court of government to expend more time and energies in engaging and interfacing with the initiators and leaders of the protests rather than those being recruited to oppose it. We hope that government, just as the Inspector General of Police did two days ago, will immediately take up the brace to engage Protesters and negotiate the country out of the brewing national crisis rather than recruiting pro government, anti protest forces to make the citizens peaceful protests violent and riotous.

Signed 

Olawale Okunniyi 

(Veteran Che)

08033993867

Head, Coordinating Secretariat,

United Action Front of Civil Society 

NB: Once again, for help and support during the nationwide protests, citizens are enjoined to contact Protest Monitors at the situation room of the organised Civil Society via the WhatsApp of the following hotlines: +23481-884-51511, +234 814 286 4904,+234 703 504 6101, +234 803 582 3617. Please note that the above hotlines are for whatsApp messages Only.