Labour Party open to all Nigerians but not for sale — NLC President

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared the Labour Party open to defectors, pledging to provide equal political opportunities for all Nigerians regardless of social status, religion, or ethnicity.

The Congress added that the party is open to all Nigerians and willing to welcome defectors.

Speaking in Abuja during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Labour Party held on Wednesday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, alleged that government agencies were actively working to destabilise the party through various clandestine plots.

“All agencies of government are involved in these destabilisation plots. We must be clear about this.

“They must be told to remove their hands from the organisation of the Workers’ Party. That is a sin. Across over 57 countries of the world, Labour Parties are functional and driven by workers’ unions,” Ajaero warned.

He cited the British Trades Union Congress (TUC), which has for decades operated the Labour Party using a union office, as an example of global practice.

“So why should Nigeria be different? Why would the government keep eyes on the Labour Party here?” He queried.

Ajaero reaffirmed that the Labour Party is not the exclusive preserve of the NLC but a party “formed by Congress and given to Nigerians with a clear-cut ideology.”

He emphasised the platform’s openness and commitment to inclusivity.

He also criticised attempts to use the Supreme Court to interfere in internal party affairs, asserting that the apex court has already ruled that internal crises should be resolved through mechanisms within the party.

“When people talk about Supreme Court rulings, I wonder if the Supreme Court is now the one to run political parties. It is not the Supreme Court that constitutes the Labour Party,” he insisted.

Taking a swipe at other political parties that charge exorbitant fees for expression of interest and nomination forms, Ajaero contrasted them with the Labour Party, which he said is rooted in pro-people values.

In Labour Party, we don’t charge hundreds of millions to contest elections because we can’t afford it. We are in politics to add value to society, to bring relief to the oppressed—not to profit from the people’s misery,” he said.

Encouraging defectors from other political parties to join, Ajaero stressed the enduring institutional nature of the Labour Party.

“This is our party. We do not defect. NLC and TUC are institutional members. When politicians defect, we remain. Soldier come, soldier go, but the barracks remain.”

He called on all stakeholders to unite and work collectively towards strengthening the party and achieving its goals.

Earlier, the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the party, Dr Sylvester Ejiofor, lamented that previous efforts to resolve internal crises had failed because they lacked alignment with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and the widely accepted ‘Consent Judgement’ of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE