The Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it welcomed the formation of the National Caretaker Committee, to manage the affairs of the Labour Party (LP), but expressed some reservations.
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 for three and to organise an all-inclusive national convention.
However, the Umuahia meeting dissolved both the NTC led by former NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar and the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure.
Acting Chairman of the NLC Political Commission Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, in a statement by Chairman of the now disbanded LP-NTC Tony Akeni, 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.”
Prof. Ndubuaku stated that the commission started the struggle for the sack of the Abure 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) should 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 added.
He also demanded that the National Caretaker Committee should accommodate the legitimate wish list of the NLC Political Commission and its NTC committee.
Prof. Ndubuaku noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not present at the Umuahia expanded stakeholders’ meeting to witness and enrol the resolutions announced in its books and portals to make them legally final.
“That is why only two officers, the chairman and secretary, were announced.
“The remaining 27 members or more shall be listed hereafter and subjected to harmony-promoting consultations before they are announced and inaugurated in the course of time,” he said.
