Some concerned members of the Labour Party (LP) have staged a protest at the national headquarters of the Party, demanding the resignation of both Joe Ajaero, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Comrade Julius Abure of the Labour Party.
The protesters gathered at the Labour Party National Office at IBM Haruna Street, Utako, in Abuja, on Friday, displaying placards stating their demands.
They noted that the image of the labour movement had been tainted with ethnic colouration to corrupt the democratic space.
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A former NLC National Vice President, Comrade Isa Tijjani, in a statement, noted that the current rift between the NLC and Labour Party leaders not only threatened their existence but spoiled their name.
The NLC had accused Abure of showing contempt for the leadership of the labour union and attempting to hold a national convention in violation of the party’s constitution.
He said, “I am sure we are all aware of the problems created by our so-called leaders which are becoming protracted, and a shame and burden on the body of our beloved Party.
“Issues involved have grown from ideological concern to personality clash, giving bad name to the image of the party and the Nigeria Labour Congress, these are bodies created to fight for the rights of workers and the generality of the common people.
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“We are grounded with facts between the creation of these bodies stemming from protecting the interest of workers to widening the democratic space through the participation of the working class which unfortunately has turned into something else.
“The image of the Labour movement has been tinted with ethnic coloration to corrupt the democratic space. This has not only threatened our existence but spoiled our name and dragged us to the derogatory side of the good name hitherto created by patriotic labour personnel.
“In the aftermath of the foregoing, we had to mobilize members from across the country to participate in returning to decorum and patriotism of the party, we also want to urge active members of the Congress to join hands together with us for restoration and returning to the path of glory both in the party and the Labor movement.
“In this case, we have to demand the resignation of both Joe Ajaero and Abure from both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Labour Party.
“This is in keeping with the democratic norms of the Labour Congress and the Labour Party.
“This path became necessary so that we could have new faces, fresh ideas, people with democratic ideas, honor, and ideological clarity.
“Like the name of both the movement and the party of forward ever and backward never. Both organisations are too important to be left in the hands of unserious people and ethnic jingoists.
“To state some few facts, we feel ashamed as to how dastardly the corruption allegation labeled against Mr Abure as the Chairman of the Labour Party. It is also very disturbing how Ajaero as the leader of Nigeria Labour Congress could bombard the party office, it is good to ask what the psychology of the picketing is.”