NLC expresses reservation over Labour Party caretaker committee

The Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it welcomed the formation of the National Caretaker Committee, to manage the affairs of the Labour Party (LP), but expressed some reservations.

Acting Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, in a statement noted that the commission was not consulted before the formation and appointment of members of the caretaker committee, “especially such critical officers as chairman and secretary.”

The commission had, before the September 4 stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, Abia State, set up a National Transition Committee (NTC), to run the affairs of the party and to organise an all-inclusive national convention.

But the Umuahia meeting dissolved both the NTC led by former NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar and the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure.

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Consequently, Ndubuaku noted that the commission started the struggle for the sack of the Abure led NWC, “absolutely with our own resources and virtually without help from our elected and relevant leaders of the political class in the Labour Party.”

He however said that even though the commission and its NTC were not consulted, the commission believes that Peter Obi and Alex Otti “are reasonable leaders who desire the unity, harmony and rancour-free cohesion of the Labour Party.”

The acting chairman therefore demanded that his commission and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) be given the right to ratify the appointment of the chairman and secretary of the caretaker committee, as well as the composition of the remaining proposed 27 members of the committee.

“We also believe that if there is a need to expand the proposed National Caretaker Committee beyond their present proposed 29-member mark, they will do so.

“That will demonstrate that they are listening leaders who understand that every stakeholder, especially critical blocs like the NLC, TUC and other entities of our party should be carried along to have a sense of belonging for our overall membership growth, national expansion and progress,” he said.