Why NLC rejects court verdict on Abure-led NWC -

But in a statement on Thursday issued by the acting National Chairman of the NLC Political Commission, Theophilus Ndubuaku, stated that the Abure-led leadership is out to destabilize the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ndubuaku said the court judgement was a gross miscarriage of justice. He noted that both NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) who are statutory bodies recognized in the Constitution of the party were not joined as parties to the suit.

“The NLC Political Commission views the judgement as another act of desperation and subterfuge by Mr. Julius Abure and his motley of hangers-on merchants. Who have no other job than to leech and parasitize on the goodwill of the Labour Party in furtherance of their pecuniary interest.

“It is unfortunate that by adopting mischievous and clandestine approach to the judiciary, Mr. Julius Abure and his ilk who are certainly in the employment of entrenched interests bent on sabotaging and destabilizing the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 general election have continued to pull the wool over the eyes of our justice system.

“We perceive the Justice Omotosho judgement and now the Justice Emeka Nwite’s judgment that appear to give some veneer of legitimacy to the expired leadership of Mr. Julius Abure. By venerating the widely vilified Nnewi Convention of the Labour Party. Illegally conducted by Mr. Abure in violation of extant court judgements, provisions of the Labour Party Constitution and INEC supervised terms of settlement as a gross miscarriage of justice.

“Our position is formed on legal and moral grounds. It is queer that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, which together with the Trade Union Congress, TUC, are the only statutory bodies recognized in the Labour Party Constitution were not joined as parties to the two court processes filed by Mr. Abure.

The Commission’s Chairman, therefore, accused Abure of failing to honour an agreement between the NWC led by him and the party’s Board of Trustees in April 2022, monitored by INEC.

Ndubuaku also said Abure, who became National Secretary in 2021 after the demise of the then National Chairman, Alhaji A.A. Salaam, was not supposed to take over leadership of the party. But for the intervention of INEC. He stated that an agreement was reached that his tenure will expire by June this year. After which, a national convention will be held to produce a leadership.

The Commission’s Chairman stated that it was based on the agreement that the party’s stakeholders, appointed an Interim Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party led by Senator Esther Nenani Usman.

He said, “NLC Political Commission supports the position of the Labour Party Interim National Caretaker Committee to challenge the recent judgments at the Appeal Court.

“While this is being pursued, we wish to urge INEC to keep respecting the provisions of our laws. In respect of “status quo ante bellum”, until all legal options in this case are exhausted. INEC should continue to maintain its position on the non-recognition of Mr. Julius Abure’s claim to leadership. While quickly granting full recognition to the Interim National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party.

“We emphasize that the recognition of the Senator Nenadi Usman’s Caretaker Committee will go a long way in checking the attempt by the rival political interests. Whose errand Mr. Abure and his hired hands are running to hide under the veil of “crisis in the Labour Party”. To exclude the Labour Party from active participation in the electoral space in the run up to the 2027 general election. Especially the pending off-season elections.

“We urge millions of Labour Party members not to lose faith. Mr. Julius Abure and his mercantile crowd has continued to prove that they are errand boys and girls to a known political entity that does not align with the interests and persuasions of the Labour Party. In due time, his sponsors and the enemies of democracy in Nigeria would be fully unmasked.

“Finally, we assert that a million court judgements will not impose Mr. Abure on members of the Labour Party. We remain persuaded that the forces of evil pervading our country will not thrive perpetually. There is certainly a date with history for the truncation of the reign of evil and tyranny. The will of the people will always triumph!” he said.

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