The Labour Party (LP) says the picketing of its secretariat by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is a “criminal act”.

On Wednesday, members of the NLC picketed the national secretariat of the LP in Abuja, while calling for the postponement of the party’s convention.

The NLC also called for the resignation of Julius Abure as national chairman of the party.

Reacting, Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the party, in a statement, said the action of the NLC is a personal vendetta against the LP chairman.

“The leadership of the Labour Party has described the unlawful break and entry into its national headquarter by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and a collosal destruction of properties as a criminal act, a misplacement of priority and an action done in bad fate,” the statement reads.

“Ajaero’s continuous claim that NLC owns the Labour Party is not in any way supported by either the Electoral Act or the Constitution. For his information, a political party is owned by those who are card-carrying or financial members of the party.

“We are aware that more than 90 percent of the members of the NLC have not met this condition and therefore cannot claim to be the owners of the party.

“The constitution also provides that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can therefore not claim the ownership of the Labour Party.

“Today, Nigeria is witnessing the worst economic strangulation ever in the history of Nigeria. Issues such as poor workers’ wages, high inflation and insecurity with Nigeria turning to a hobbesian state. Yet, after a year of his assumption of office, Ajaero has chosen to ignore all these national challenges.

“It would interest you to know that Ajaero’s NLC is yet to successfully picket any Federal Government establishment. His attempt to extend his rascality to Imo state was met with a higher and brutal force.

“Unfortunately for us in the Labour Party, we do not command any force unlike the NLC that is now encouraging militancy within its ranks.”

The LP said the NLC, by its constitution, cannot call for a picketing of any establishment without the directive of its national executive council (NEC).

“By its own constitution, the NLC cannot even call for a picketing of any establishment without a directive of its NEC, but what we saw was a political committee acting out an illegal script by Ajaero,” the LP added.

“The committee has no legal right to call an action in the nature of picketing or breaking and entering into a political party where most of them are not even members.

“The present NLC leadership is politicized. It has left its primary responsibilities of defending Nigerian workers and has delved deeply into partisan politics and this is a bad omen for the working community.

“We have earlier advised Ajaero to emulate leadership of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri and Festus Osifo who had or currently passing through a similar route and still maintain a working relationship with the party.”

‘WE WILL TAKE LEGAL ACTION’

The LP further said it will take legal action against NLC on matters of libel.

The party alleged that there were “chants of thief” against its chairman.

“We are however reviewing today’s criminal actions and disruption of activities in our national headquarters with our legal department for further actions,” the statement adds.

“What we saw today appears to be a personal vendetta against the national chairman, Julius Abure who they called several unprintable names including labeling him a thief. We are certainly going to take legal action on matters of libel.”