The leadership of the Labour Party (NLC) has said it would not rescind the decision to hold its national convention slated for Wednesday as planned.
The party formally petitioned relevant government institutions requesting an urgent intervention to protect the party against further aggression from the NLC.
In the four separate letters written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, Ministry of Labour and Employment and Registrar of Trade Unions, Falonipe Amos, the party also called for disciplinary action to be taken against the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, and other union leaders who spearheaded the alleged vandalisation of its properties.
The conflict between the two warring parties escalated Wednesday when members of the union picketed LP secretariats across the country on the directive of NLC leadership. The union insisted that Abure should resign.
However, 24 hours after the invasion of secretariats, Abure chairman released a press statement claiming the union members broke into their offices and vandalised properties worth millions of naira and made away with staff salaries.
The presidential candidate of the LP, Mr Peter Obi, had made several efforts to broker peace between both camps and advocated that the party should shift the national convention to a later date until a lasting solution is sought.
However, the party Sunday said there is no going back on its planned convention.
National publicity secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh was quoted as saying: “Who told you we have cancelled the convention? That is not true. Anything that didn’t come from me or the chairman is not from the party. There is no going back.
“If not that tomorrow is the usual ‘sit-at-home’ exercise (in the East), delegates will start arriving from tomorrow. But from Tuesday, all of us will assemble in Umuahia for the convention.”
However, the NLC spokesman, Benson Upah, said Abure would not dare the congress by going ahead with the planned convention.
He said, “What does not exist cannot be said to have held. It is an exercise in futility, no matter where, when or how it is done. As long as it is superintended by Abure, it is nullity.”
