The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it only recognises the Labour Party faction that produced Peter Obi as its presidential candidate.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
This was contained in a statement issued by the National President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba.
The press release read in part thus, “It has been brought to our attention that a so-called faction of the Labour Party recently conducted what we can describe as a ‘beer parlour’ presidential primary and supposedly elected a presidential candidate. Nothing can be more spurious, hilarious and ridiculous’.
Laying emphasis on the fact that the Labour party is one and indivisible, the President, Comr. Wabba on behalf of the NLC had a flashback on the history and early days, establishing that the LP was indeed an offspring of NLC. The statement read thus;
“There is only one Labour Party in Nigeria. For the purpose of public education and clarity, we will take a recourse to history. The Labour Party is the creation and offspring of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The decision to give birth to the Labour Party was taken by the statutory organs of the NLC and affirmed by the decision of the National Executive Council of Congress at its meeting in Bauchi in 2003 when it approved the formation of the Party for Social Democracy (PSD). It was at the inaugural convention of PSD in 2004 that NLC decided to change the name of PSD to the Labour Party and it has remained so since then.”
According to the press release, the Labour Party gone through a series of bright and bleak experiences which has forged the party till where it is now, however, during all these times the ownership of the LP remained vested in the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The statement read thus;
“The Labour Party has since then gone through both bright and blight times. Yet, the ownership of the Party by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress has never been in doubt. As a matter of fact, the original certificate of the registration of the Labour Party is domiciled in the national headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Also, a Federal High Court judgement by Justice G.O. Kolawole in March 2018 clearly establishes that Labour Party belongs to workers.”
Furthermore, the President of the NLC on behalf of the entire congress stated in clear terms that LP was what the NLC and TUC says it is, and that both Congresses only recognized the Labour Party to led by Barr. Julius Abure, and that His Excellency, Peter Obi was the only Presidential flagbearer of the party, and this had been recognized and recorded by INEC after monitoring a successful primaries of the parties. He stated that without a doubt both NLC and TUC throws their entire support behind HE Peter Obi as the only candidate of the NLC. In his words;
“The point is that the Labour Party is what the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) say it is. The leadership of the NLC and TUC recognize the leadership of the Labour Party led by Barr. Julius Abure, a former trade union leader and workers are part of the leadership. The NLCand TUC are aware of only one presidential primary which was held in Asaba, Delta State on 30th May 2022 and produced HE Peter Obi as sidential candidate and standard bearer. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the presidential primary that produced HE Peter Obi. INEC recognizes only the Labour Party leadership led by the Chairman, Barr. Julius Abure and the National Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Umaru Ibrahim. They are the only Labour Party officials whose details are provided on INEC website. The leadership of the NLC and TUC gave our full support to the processes that produced HE Peter Obi as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.”
Wabba opined his belief that the controversies staged by Calistus Okafor led faction was an act by other political parties meant to distract the Labour Party from mass mobilization efforts, having at the back of our minds that the LP is ‘currently repositioning as the party for workers, youths, students, women, traders, farmers, professionals, physically disabled persons, the unemployed and the downtrodden’.
Also, the NLC president established that the official press release was also a public disclaimer on the activities of Mr. Calistus Okafor who was trying to ‘cash on the popularity of the LP to hoodwink, and swindle unsuspecting members of the public’, and that the public (especially Nigerian workers and millions of members of the LP) must disregard these activities of Mr. Okafor, as according to him (Wabba), the tantrums of Okafor were nothing but a ‘mere storm in a cup of tea’.
He went on to emphasize the determination of the Party to be a voice for the restart of a genuine journey of national development. The press release read in part thus;
‘Truth is that the bull has already left the barn! Nigerian workers, youths, students, women, professionals, the disabled, and the unemployed have embraced the Labour Party as the political vehicle of the downtrodden, the political alternative and a voice for the re-start of a genuine journey of national development. There is no amount of political devilry that can stop us! Forward ever!! Backward Never!!!’
On a final note, the President of the NLC urged all Nigerians whether workers, youths, women, traders, farmers, professionals and all who seek the survival of Nigeria to continue to register for their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and to safeguard their PVCs, as together they will answer all those who have held Nigeria down with our PVCs in 2023.
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
______________________________________________________________________
“Bridging Theory And Courtroom Practice” — Hagler Sunny Okorie, Nathaniel Ngozi Ikeocha Unveil ‘Functional’ Tort Law Book For Nigerian Legal System
The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.
