***Says, Trade Union Act Prohibits Partisan Politics By NLC
***Insists INEC Recognizes Abure, Other Party Officials
The Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday accused the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) of doing a hatchet job to destroy it.
National Legal Adviser of the party, Kehinde Edun, who spoke a press conference at the National Secretariat in Abuja, indicated that the LP “is being assailed on all sides by paid agents, maily the NLC and its cronies.
The job for which the NLC have been paid he said is to create a semblance of division and crisis in our Party, but despite their evil agenda, our party remains strong, virile and stable.
“The leadership of the NLC and the dubious committees and commissions they have created are not members of our party. “They are external aggressors paid by rival political parties to embark on a campaign of calumny and ferocious attacks against our party’s leaders.”
Edun explained further that “The leadership of the NLC knows that they are not registered members of our party and therefore have no stake in the party.
“Their claim to any stake in the party is false, mischievous and lacking any merit whatsoever.
“But they continue to deceive gullible people and are therefore willing tools in the hands of dubious politicians and some of our elected members who want to simulate or create the appearance of a crisis to justify defection.
Edun argued that NLC’s attempt at hijacking Labour Party is illegal and unconstitutional, adding 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 objective.
According to him, section 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 objective.
“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 judgement, the court in its wisdom said ‘it shall operate to bind parties who signed it.’
“Though LP did not sign the terms of 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 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.