NLC Expresses Reservation Over Labour Party Caretaker Committee

• The NLC Political Commission expresses reservations about the newly formed Labour Party Caretaker Committee, citing lack of consultation
• The Commission calls for NLC and TUC to ratify appointments and composition of the Caretaker Committee to ensure inclusivity and unity

The Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its reservations regarding the recently formed National Caretaker Committee to manage the Labour Party’s (LP) affairs.

In a statement, the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, noted that the commission was not consulted before the formation and appointment of the caretaker committee’s members, particularly key positions like the chairman and secretary.

Before the stakeholders’ meeting on September 4 in Umuahia, Abia State, the commission had established a National Transition Committee (NTC) to oversee the party’s affairs and organize an all-inclusive national convention. However, the Umuahia meeting dissolved the NTC, led by former NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar, and the National Working Committee (NWC), headed by Julius Abure.

Professor Ndubuaku pointed out that the commission initiated the effort to remove the Abure-led NWC, “solely with our resources and virtually without assistance from our elected and relevant leaders within the Labour Party’s political class.”

Despite not being consulted about the caretaker committee, the commission believes that Peter Obi and Alex Otti “are reasonable leaders who desire unity, harmony, and a cohesive, dispute-free Labour Party.”

The acting chairman, therefore, called for the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to have the authority to ratify the appointments of the chairman and secretary of the caretaker committee and the composition of the remaining 27 proposed members of the committee.

“We also believe that if there is a need to expand the proposed National Caretaker Committee beyond its current 29-member size, they will do so. This would demonstrate that leaders listen and understand the importance of including every stakeholder, especially critical blocs like the NLC, TUC, and other entities within our party. This inclusion would foster a sense of belonging, contribute to our overall membership growth, and support national expansion and progress,” he stated.