LP petitions SGF over office vandalism

The Labour Party (LP) has petitioned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) over Wednesday’s vandalism of its offices by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Mr. Obiora Ifoh, the LP National Publicity Secretary (LP), said this in the petition, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

“It has become unavoidably necessary to request your urgent intervention, being the regulatory agency for trade unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has over the years engaged in a war of attrition with our party.

“It came to a head and was unbearable when the NLC, under the leadership of Comrade Joe Ajeoro, directed the picketing of our party’s national headquarters and our chapter offices across the country.

“The unwarranted attack on our office resulted in the destruction of several properties,” Ifoh said.

He added,The NLC claims to be the owners of the party and therefore wants to impose the leadership of the party, exerting overwhelming control to achieve a political end.

“It should be noted that Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) prohibits any association from contributing to the funds of any political party.

“It is a criminal offence under Section 15 of the Trade Union Act to use trade union funds, whether directly or indirectly, to fund a political party.

“Similarly, the NLC has no right to picket an organisation where there is no trade dispute. The LP has no staff who are members of the NLC. The actions of the NLC are a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act, and other relevant laws.”

“It is of importance to further draw your attention to the fact that it is only members who are financially up to date with the party who have rights and obligations to the party (see Article 9(3)(i) and (iii) of our constitution).

“NLC members are not card-carrying members of LP. The party cannot be owned by any association; membership in the party is on an individual basis.

“The LP Constitution says the party is open to all Nigerians who accept its ideology, programmes, and constitution, irrespective of their religion, ethnicity, gender, social, and economic status.

“However, the organs of the party, as decided by the members, assume leadership of the party. How this is achieved is well spelled out in the constitution.

“As lawful citizens, we didn’t want to confront them in an uncivilised manner in order to avoid a breakdown of law and order. We had the option of also mobilizing party faithful to confront them.

“Doing that at this point where the harsh economic climate is taking its toll on the Nigerian people will result in anarchy.

“Hence, the urgent need to call the NLC and its leadership led by Ajaero to order, educate them on the limit of their power, condemn their rascality, abuse of office and discipline them as appropriate”.