The Labour Party (LP) has strongly refuted claims made by the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission (NLC-PC) that the party’s leadership, under Barrister Julius Abure, is covertly supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). These accusations have sparked widespread debate, with the LP maintaining its stance as a critical opposition force.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, addressed the issue, labeling the accusations as both unfounded and misleading.
Ifoh emphasized that the party remains committed to its role as a strong opposition to the APC, dismissing suggestions of any secret alignment between LP and the ruling party.
In his remarks, Ifoh specifically pointed out that certain individuals, including a former Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, and the Acting Chairman of the NLC Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, have been attempting to spread the narrative that the LP’s recent victories in court are linked to behind-the-scenes collaboration with the APC.
He stated, “Recently, after the landmark court judgment affirming the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party, some persons, including a former nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, and the acting chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, have tried to push the narrative that the Labour Party, under the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure, is working for the APC, and that is why the LP has been winning all its court cases.”
The LP Spokesperson further condemned these allegations as a deliberate effort to tarnish the reputation of the party’s leadership. According to Ifoh, such accusations are part of a calculated plan to distract the party and give it a negative image. He stressed that the LP has always been more critical of the APC than any other organization, including the NLC.
Ifoh said, “I must state clearly that the LP has been and is still critical of APC more than NLC. We put it on records that the NLC, in all its ramifications, has failed the Nigerian workers.
“Today, Nigerian workers are oppressed, the economy is not working, there are unfair practices against workers, and nobody speaks for the oppressed workers in Nigeria, except the current leadership of the party.
“If there is any leadership of the party from inception that has been very critical of the government, it is the Abure leadership of Labour Party.
“For the first time, the leadership of the party under Barrister Julius Abure has been able to record unprecedented achievements.
“Today, we can boast that the Labour Party won a majority of votes in the 2023 presidential election and produced a governor, 8 senators, 35 House of Representatives members, and several other members of the House of Assembly across the country.
“From the 2023 general election till now, Labour Party has been a very vibrant and strong opposition party to this present government.
“If there is any opposition party that has been very critical of this government, it is the Barrister Julius Abure-led opposition Labour Party.
“For any person to say that that leadership is working for APC-led government, it can only be mischief carried too far and a calculated attempt to distract the leadership of the party.
“If there is any organisation that is working for the current government in power, we can assume without hesitation that it is the Nigeria Labour Congress.”
