TheCable

The Labour Party (LP)  says the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) lacks the power to sack its leadership.

In a communique issued at the end of its political commission stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, the NLC passed a vote of no confidence on the March 27 national convention of the LP where Julius Abure was re-elected as the chairman of the party.

The congress also said it has approved the constitution of a transition committee under the leadership of its political commission to manage the affairs of the party in the interim.

Reacting to the development, Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the LP, in a statement on Tuesday, said NLC’s group of stakeholders is not recognised by the party.

Ifoh maintained that NLC lacks the power to decide the affairs of the party.

“The leadership of the Labour Party has read with dismay the attempt by the Nigeria Labour Congress, a body not recognized by the Constitution of our great party or any of our known laws for that matter, to arrogate to itself powers it does not possess,” the statement reads.

“It claimed to have sacked the Comrade Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party, after holding an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party and some social media tigers who are not known to be card-carrying members of our party.

“The group is unknown to the Labour Party as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of “stakeholders” to deliberate let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“There is no disputing the fact that the Abure-led NWC led the party into becoming a national brand.

“With the support of members and Nigerians across the length and breadth of this great nation, the party now boasts a number of Senators, members of the Federal House of Representatives as well as State Assemblies. Need we talk about the pace-setting Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti?

“As a law-abiding party, we will seek the protection of the court of law should the need arise. We, however, appeal to our teeming supporters to remain calm because, in the end, justice will prevail.”