Labour Party Faction Accuses NLC of Political Blackmail, Plots to Attack Party Offices Nationwide

A Labour Party faction has accused the NLC of plotting attacks on LP offices and blackmailing INEC and security agencies. With tensions escalating and claims of past invasions resurfacing, this political drama is far from over. Read the full twisty details.

A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Barr. Julius Abure has raised a red flag, accusing the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of blackmail, political intimidation, and of planning coordinated attacks on its party offices across Nigeria.

In a press release issued by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, on Tuesday in Abuja, the group alleged that the Joe Ajero-led NLC was engaged in a campaign to destabilize the Labour Party by coercing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies into supporting an illegal power grab.

“We are witnessing an act of desperation and political aggression. The recent threats by the NLC leadership to forcefully invade Labour Party offices is not only illegal but also a calculated blackmail strategy aimed at disrupting internal party stability,” Ifoh stated.

According to the statement, the Labour Party faction initially chose to remain silent on the NLC’s “reckless threats,” but decided to break the silence to assure loyal party members of their resolve to defend the party structure and uphold the law.

The faction alleged that the NLC is deliberately blackmailing INEC and Nigeria’s security institutions in a bid to justify possible violent takeovers of Labour Party secretariats. Ifoh also pointed to a disturbing history, recalling an incident in 2024 where NLC operatives forcefully entered the LP national headquarters and allegedly carted away valuables — an event which was reported to the police.

The faction insisted that the leadership transition which occurred in March 2024 was done in line with the Labour Party constitution and the Electoral Act. It said that the Supreme Court had clearly ruled that it had no jurisdiction to interfere in the internal leadership issues of political parties.

“The leadership of the Labour Party remains intact. Our legal dispute has nothing to do with leadership but with INEC’s failure to provide our party with the uploading code required for the Ondo governorship election,” Ifoh clarified.

He further dismissed the NLC’s repeated attempts to host “illegal meetings,” particularly the one held in Umuahia, calling such gatherings “unrecognized and unconstitutional.”

The LP faction strongly criticized NLC President Joe Ajero for turning the workers’ union into a political tool. Ifoh suggested that Ajero had lost focus on his primary role of advocating for workers’ welfare and instead transformed into a partisan political actor.

“If Ajero is tired of unionism, he should resign from the NLC and join a political party. His obsession with controlling the Labour Party has nothing to do with labour rights — it’s raw ambition, plain and simple,” he said.

Obiora Ifoh categorically stated that there is no existing trade dispute between the Labour Party and the NLC. According to him, no NLC staff is employed by the party, making any form of industrial action unjustifiable and illegal.

Warning against any attack on its offices nationwide, the faction vowed to mobilize its members for lawful resistance and promised to seek protection from security agencies if necessary.

“We will not fold our hands. We are prepared to defend the Labour Party and our democratic rights. Any attempt to attack our offices will be met with legal action and a grassroots response. We will not be bullied,” Ifoh concluded.

As the crisis deepens, political observers fear the widening gulf between the Labour Party and its labour union base may have long-term implications on the party’s stability ahead of upcoming elections.

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