News
Abure describes picketing of party secretariat by NLC as show of shame, rascality
***Says NLC cannot claim ownership right of LP
The Nstional Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Julius Abure has described the picketing of the party’s national secretariat on Wednesday as a show of shame, rascality and an abuse of office.
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, stormed the national headquarters LP in Abuja, to express their displeasure with current party leadership and the perceived betrayal of the party’s foundational principles.
The Labour Centre called for the resignation of the national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, whom it said has converted the party to personal gain and straying from the party’s ideology which NLC said was established to champion the cause of working class and serve as an advocate for the betterment of Nigerians.
The National ublicity secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement on Thursday, quoted Abura to have indicated that,
“What we saw was a show of shame, a show of rascality, an abuse of office and an abuse of the law of the land.
According to Abure, the NLC is not above the law as he said it is subject to the law.
“NLC under Joe Ajaero is not above the law and the law precludes Ajaero and the leadership of NLC to take law into their hands. Where they besieged the office, broke the fence, destroyed the gates, unlawfully took possession of the Secretariat and destroyed properties worth millions of naira, Properties stolen including monies made for the payment of salaries and other official purposes. This is unfortunate.
“I must state today that the leadership of NLC under Joe Ajaero is on the part of destroying the successes we have recorded in the 2023 general election.
“I had expected that as a responsible trade union centre, a responsible labour leader; he should have teamed up with Labour Party to see how we can team up together to make the country better. Unfortunately and ironically too, the NLC is the one that is on the part of war against Labour Party.
“I must state clearly that Ajaero as NLC President has not been able to organise a successful strike action. Not even a single protest or even picketing government establishment in order to bring government to accede to the numerous requests of workers.
“As we speak, there are unfair labour practices meted out to workers by several organisations in the country. I have not seen Joe Ajaero go to such organisations to picket them.
“Over the past few years, NLC has been claiming ownership of Labour Party. l must state clearly that NLC is not the owner of Labour Party. The party is not owned by NLC. The law is very clear that you cannot picket an organisation where you do not have your workers. We are not the employers of NLC and they don’t have the legitimate reason to picket our office.
“We have no trade union dispute with NLC, there is no notice issued to us that we have a trade union dispute with NLC. This is clearly an abuse of office and abuse of the laws of the land.
“Let me also state here that the propaganda they have been carrying around that we are planning a secret convention is totally false. The NEC met April 2023 in Asaba and granted the permission that the convention must hold in one year.
“We started planning for the Convention since then. We communicated INEC as requested by the law. We have also informed all the stakeholders including NLC. I have discussed the issue with Ajaero on several occasions.
“NLC on their own has written to INEC on several occasions on the need to hold the convention, we are surprised that the same INEC is the one that is asking that convention should not hold again. He has ulterior motives and we will not allow him to hijack the party.”
The Obidient Movement, led by Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has issued a press statement condemning the circulation of false social media posts attributed to Senator Datti-Baba Ahmed. The fabricated posts, which have gone viral, are described as part of a deliberate smear campaign aimed at damaging the Senator’s reputation.
The movement clarified that Senator Datti-Baba Ahmed does not operate any social media accounts, making all attributed posts entirely baseless. During a recent press conference, the Senator unequivocally dissociated himself from these claims and urged the public to disregard them.
“This is a targeted attempt to tarnish the Senator’s image and credibility,” Dr. Tanko stated.
The Obidient Movement has called on its supporters and the public to remain vigilant and proactive in addressing the issue. They urged people to ignore, counter, and report the false posts whenever they appear.
The statement concluded with an appeal for continued support and collaboration in combating misinformation, reinforcing the movement’s commitment to truth and integrity.
The Senate has granted approval for a $2.09 billion (N1.767 trillion) loan requested by President Bola Tinubu to address the N9.7 trillion deficit in the N28.7 trillion 2024 budget. The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary, just 48 hours after the request was submitted to the National Assembly.
President Tinubu, in letters to both chambers of the legislature earlier this week, highlighted the importance of the loan for financing key projects and programs critical to national development.
Following the request, the Senate assigned its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, led by Senator Aliyu Wammako (APC, Sokoto North), to review the proposal. Presenting the committee’s report, Senator Wammako described the loan as vital for implementing the Debt Management Strategy, reducing borrowing costs, extending debt maturity, and bolstering Nigeria’s external reserves.
The committee recommended raising the loan through Eurobonds or similar international financing instruments, subject to market conditions. It also suggested that any excess funds from exchange rate adjustments be directed toward capital projects in 2024 to support infrastructure and economic growth.
The Senate approved the loan unanimously, with no objections raised during deliberations. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, commended the Wammako-led committee for its swift and thorough handling of the proposal.
This loan approval is part of the government’s broader strategy to bridge fiscal gaps while focusing on developmental priorities and economic stability.
Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, has been arrested and detained by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on charges of inciting public crimes with terrorist intent.
The alleged offence reportedly occurred in Lahti on August 23, 2021. Finnish authorities apprehended Ekpa on Monday, November 19, marking another chapter in his history of legal confrontations.
A source confirmed Ekpa’s arrest, noting, “He was arrested three days ago. But this is not the first time. He will likely be questioned and released soon.” Ekpa was previously detained in 2023 on suspicion of fundraising fraud but was released the same evening.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also requested the detention of four additional suspects in connection with terrorism-related charges.
Ekpa has gained notoriety for his leadership of a Nigerian separatist group advocating for an independent Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria. Finnish authorities allege that he used social media platforms to coordinate actions that resulted in violence against civilians and authorities in Nigeria.
Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen of the NBI stated that the investigation focuses on a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, suspected of public incitement to crimes with terrorist intent.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has continued to engage the Finnish government through the European Union (EU) to extradite Ekpa. In August, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters emphasized the dual approach of diplomatic engagement and sustained military operations against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, reiterated the government’s resolve, saying, “The FG would respond appropriately to the Finnish Government through the EU. On the part of the military, troops would sustain operations against IPOB/ESN.”
Ekpa, who has represented Finland’s National Coalition Party (NCP) in local government, currently serves on Lahti’s public transport committee. Finnish authorities continue to investigate his activities, emphasizing the potential connection between his leadership role in the separatist movement and violent actions in Nigeria.
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