The Labour Party (LP) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and some of its elected members in the National Assembly, of deliberately creating a crisis in order to defect to other political parties.
The LP National Legal Adviser Kehinde Edun, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, made the accusation against the NLC and some of the party’s elected members.
On Tuesday, the Labour Party’s senator from Imo state, Francis Oyewuchi, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing a crisis in his former party as his reason.
Edun said the NLC and some of the party’s elected members want to create the appearance of a crisis to justify defection, arguing that labour’s attempt at hijacking the Labour Party is illegal and unconstitutional.
He stated that sections 221 to 229 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria forbid the ownership of a political party by anybody or group. He also accused the NLC of flouting the law by applying the Congress funds towards political objectives.
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According to him, sections 15(1) to 15(3) of the Trade Union Act prohibit the NLC from applying its funds towards any political objectives.
“So where are they getting the money to cause all this trouble? Are they been paid by APC or are they flouting the law to apply the congress funds towards political objectives?,” Edun asked.
“In section 15(3)(a) political objective is said to include ‘the making of any contribution towards the funds of any political party,’” Edun said.
He stated that there was no injunctive or coercive order against the Labour Party, adding that “The 2018 consent judgement and the 2022 terms of settlement have been complied with by us.
“If anyone is in breach, it is the NLC. As for the 2018 terms of settlement which was adopted as consent judgment, the court in its wisdom said ‘it shall operate to bind parties who signed it.’
“Though LP did not sign the terms of the settlement, we fully complied with it at the 2019 convention for the sake of peace.
“With regards to the 2022 agreement, the party fulfilled our own part of the bargain by appointing nominees of the NLC as Deputy National Chairman (Comrade Ladi Iliya) and National Vice Chairman (Alh Umaru Mohammed), and also nominee of TUC (Trade Union Congress), Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi as Deputy National Chairman.”
The legal adviser stated that the non-attendance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not invalidate the Labour Party’s Nnewi convention.
According to him, the law did not make it mandatory for INEC to attend any political party’s convention, arguing that what the law requires is proper notice from the party to the commission.
“This is provided for in Section 82(1) to 82(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022,” he said, adding that those provisions only require at least 21 days’ notice to INEC.”
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