The Nigeria Labour Congress leadership has promised not to recognize Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party after he was re-elected.
Abure was chosen again as the party's national chairman at a national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday.
During the convention, all members of the National Working Committee were also re-elected.
However, the slots for representatives of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress were left empty.
In response to the convention's outcome, NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, stated that the congress will never support the party under Abure’s leadership.
Upah criticized the convention and mentioned that the NLC doesn't acknowledge the re-election of the national chairman.
He expressed, “It’s illegal and meaningless. The entire process was a sham! Nothing can justify such bold disrespect for the law.”
When questioned about the next steps for labor, the NLC head of information replied, “You, wait and see.”
The party's national convention created a lot of tension in the past week.
At least five individuals were reportedly detained at the convention site on Wednesday for allegedly trying to cause trouble.
The individuals caught were distributing provocative leaflets criticizing the party's leadership.
They were later given to the police for interrogation.
In a statement co-signed by Abure and his National Secretary, Umar Farouk, the party announced that LP's presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, have been approved to run as the party’s candidates in 2027.
The statement mentioned, “Based on the actions of the presidential candidate before, during and after the 2023 general election, the convention proposed that the party’s 2027 presidential ticket be exclusively reserved for Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the party's national leader.
“Additionally, the convention evaluated the current progress and performance of its Governor in Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti, and expressed confidence in him while recommending the 2027 Abia State gubernatorial ticket for Dr. Alex Otti.”
Furthermore, the party's leadership urged President Bola Tinubu to address the increasing insecurity, particularly in Kaduna and other northern states.
The party also supported the restructuring and decentralization of policing to enable regional, state, and local police.
“The convention also observed the growing insecurity in the country, especially in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and other states. It called on the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to ensure the security of Nigerians, which is the government's primary responsibility.
“We also called for a general restructuring of the security architecture to meet the current security challenges. The convention advocated for the decentralization of the Nigerian Police Force to enable regional, state, local, and community policing,” the statement said.
