BREAKING: Julius Abure Re-Elected As Labour Party National Chairman

Julius Abure re-elected as Labour Party national chairman despite opposition by NLC.

Despite fierce opposition from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Barrister Julius Abure, on Wednesday was re-elected as the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP) for a second term by delegates of the party.

VerseNews reports that the winner was declared by Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, during the party’s national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Also elected into new positions including Chief Innocent Okeke, the immediate past national vice chairman southeast, assumed the position of Deputy National Secretary.

Mr. Ojukwu, the immediate past Organising Secretary of the party is now the Deputy National Chairman of the party.

This Online News Platform recalls that Abure has been engaged in a conflict with the NLC leadership headed by Comrade Joe Ajaero.

The NLC had earlier demanded Abure’s resignation as party chairman and the immediate formation of a caretaker transition committee to oversee a legitimate and inclusive national convention.

On March 20, workers who were denied entry into the party office gathered around the premises protesting against the Labour Party Chairman, Abure accusing him of financial misconduct.

Both factions in the party leadership criticized the endorsement of the LP by the NLC, though they disagreed on the party’s leadership accountability. The LP asserted that the party’s leadership is not accountable to the congress.

Many had expected that due to the internal crisis rocking the party members would have elected fresh set of leaders to pilot the affairs of the party but from all indications and aftermath the success of the national convention, it show that members trust the leadership of Abure.

Former NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who reacted to the crisis in the party emphasized that the party was established as a platform for union members to exercise and defend their rights.

“First and foremost, the Labour Party was formed by the NLC, in the realisation of a clear objective in the Constitution of the NLC. Under Article 3 and Item 1, the major objective of the NLC is to promote, defend and advance the economic, political, and social rights and well-being of Nigerian workers and pensioners,” he stated during an interview with Channels Television.

“We own the Labour Party; it was formed under the leadership of Pascal Bafyau, as Party for Social Democracy. Under Adams, organs decided to change the name to the Labour Party, and the first chairman was S.O.Z Ejiofor who later handed over to Dan Anyanwu.

“So, the essence of forming the party is to make sure that workers, pensioners, farmers, can be able to have a platform to exercise their rights, which is enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution. The party was formed by NLC, and registered by NLC. It’s like you built a house, you got a C-of-O, then you rented the apartment, so you must have an interest in how the property is managed.”