'Resign now as NLC president' - Drama as Labour Party tackles Joe Ajaero over chairmanship position

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has asked the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, to resign and contest the chairmanship position of the party.

The opposition party made this assertion while responding to a letter written by the NLC political commission, the union's political wing, calling for the suspension of the LP's planned convention in Umuahia, Abia state.

As reported by The Nation, the NLC political commission asked the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, to resign immediately with a caretaker transition committee set up to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention.

In a statement on Saturday, March 16, by its national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party insisted that the proposed convention would go ahead as the party's constitution already stipulated those who could participate.

The party said the rascality of the NLC president, Ajaero, had destroyed successes already recorded by the party.

The Labour Party said the undue interference of the NLC in its affairs had become worrisome, and it was important to notify the NLC that LP had a life of its own that was different from that of the union.

According to the statement, the interference of the present leadership of the NLC on the party was “really choking, and we can hardly breathe.”

“The leadership of the party in its wisdom has decided to yield to their agitation for a convocation of a national convention.

“At this point, the leadership of the party wants to ask the NLC, what exactly do they want? If Joe Ajero is interested in the leadership of the party, he is therefore advised to resign as the President of the NLC and join in the contest for the National Chairmanship of the party that is scheduled for the convention on the 27th of March, 2024," LP stated.