In a dramatic display of discontent, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) transition committee took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
Led by Abdulwaheed Umar, former president of the NLC and chair of the committee tasked with rejuvenating the party for an upcoming national convention, the protesters marched to the LP’s headquarters in Abuja.
Chanting solidarity songs and calling for Abure’s resignation, they were met with resistance and denied entry into the premises.
The situation escalated when police officers fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, who were fervently shouting, “open the gate.” The NLC committee argued that Abure’s tenure as LP chairman had expired, adding fuel to the ongoing leadership crisis within the party.
This crisis initially emerged when Lamidi Apapa, the deputy national chairman of the party (south), declared himself the acting national chairman last year.
Tensions heightened further during a national convention held in Anambra, where Julius Abure was re-elected as chairman despite opposition from a faction.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated that it did not monitor the party’s national convention, adding a layer of complexity to the situation.
The board of trustees (BoT) of the party denounced the convention that re-elected Abure as a charade and declared that his tenure as national chairman had expired.
To address these issues and reposition the LP as a formidable political force in Nigeria, the party inaugurated a transition committee in May. The committee aims to conduct a new national convention and revitalize the LP’s standing in the Nigerian political landscape.
