From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Labour Party Directorate on Mobilisation and Integration has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress National Transition Committee (NLC-NTC) to desist from what it calls attempts to demarket the party and its prospective 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The LP Directorate was reacting to an unsigned statement purportedly released by the NLC-NTC, which allegedly described Julius Abure as the “former” National Chairman of the Labour Party.
The Director General of the Labour Party Directorate on Mobilisation and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, in a statement yesterday, maintained that Julius Abure remains the authentic National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), a position confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the highest decision-making body of the party.
Ngogbehei described the statement by the NTC as “childish, malicious, and misleading,” arguing that the NLC does not have the authority to set up a transition committee for any political party in Nigeria. He added that the “action is alien to law, and if true, they should test its constitutionality in court.”
He stated that the NLC-NTC should be responsible enough to respect the reconciliatory moves initiated by Peter Obi or seek legal redress if they have a case.
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Ngogbehei also claimed that the NTC has been notorious for its divisive nature and urged Nigerians and supporters of the Labour Party to ignore their antics and remain law-abiding.
He further urged Labour Party stakeholders not to be distracted by the actions of the NTC and to ensure full participation in upcoming party congresses as announced by the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC).
The Labour Party also accused the NLC-NTC of working with the government to demarket, weaken, and prevent opposition parties like the Labour Party from holding the government accountable.
“The NTC has become a destructive agent seemingly working for the government to eliminate any perceived opposition structures in the country. Citizens are groaning under government policies that have left Nigerian workers poorer. Rather than the current NLC learning from the Oshiomole years of courageous leadership and engaging the government to protect the interests of Nigerian workers and citizens, they are busy meddling into political party affairs, attempting to demarket the only true opposition party in the country,” he said.
“To discerning minds, the NLC-NTC is making itself a meddlesome interloper and has no standing in law. If they believe otherwise, it’s more responsible to approach the courts than carry out destructive actions that benefit the current government,” he concluded.