The Labour Party (LP) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress of plotting to invade its national secretariat in Abuja using hired thugs and miscreants.
In a statement issued on Sunday, April 6, in Abuja, the LP National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, claimed the plan was being coordinated by the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee and the National Transition Committee.
“It has come to the knowledge of the leadership of the LP that the NLC is mobilising its members, hired thugs and some miscreants in concert with the illegal Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC), and the National Transition Committee (NTC) to invade the National Secretariat of our party,” the statement read.
“The invasion which is allegedly funded by the Abia State government and one other prominent leader in the party is expected to commence as from Monday 7th of April 2025.
“During the invasion, the NLC will attempt an unlawful break into offices at the national headquarters to cart away sensitive documents and also vandalise the properties belonging to the party.
“We view this action which is capable of breaching the peace of the Federal Capital Territory as irresponsible and evidence of desperation on the NLC.
“The Labour Union which the laws that founded it forbids them from partisan politics has on different occasions in the past mobilized miscreants to desecrate the National Headquarters of the party and vandalised the properties.
“It must be noted that the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on the 5th of April, 2025 is very clear and unambiguous.
“The judgment simply mandates political parties to always resolve their crisis using internal mechanisms, and that the issue of leadership is an internal affair of the political parties.
“There is nowhere in the judgment that gave NLC, National Caretaker Committee or any other body by whatever nomenclature to take over the leadership of the Labour Party.
READ ALSO: LP Crisis Deepens as Caretaker Committee Pushes for Abure’s Prosecution
“There is a leadership in place in the Labour Party and Barrister Julius Abure who was validly elected at a convention held in March 2024 remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party. Any attempt to forcefully usurp the present leadership will be resisted.
“We are by this statement calling on the attention of the security agencies including the Police, and the DSS amongst others to ensure that any activity that is capable of breaching the peace of the FCT must be nipped in the bud and that the masterminds, no matter how high they might be, are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.”
A top NLC official, however, dismissed the allegation, describing it as baseless.
“The Julius-Abure-led LP is no longer recognised by law. The Supreme Court held that Abure’s tenure had expired, so he and his team are impostors. It is only statutory members, like officeholders, who are recognised.
“The illegal LP leadership has no legal or moral basis to raise such an alarm.
“Besides, NLC does not need thugs to act. NLC knows and obeys the law. The so-called illegal LP are imagining things. The allegation is a figment of their imagination. NLC has more important things to do,” the official said.
Meanwhile, LP Chairman in Imo State, Calistus Ihejiagwa, insisted the move to install a caretaker committee contradicts the party’s constitution.
“We need to respect the party’s constitution and ensure that we follow the rules,” he said.
According to him, “The National Convention is the highest decision-making organ of the party, and its decisions are final and supreme.”