Abure Under Fire: Labour Veterans Call for Resignation Amid Fraud Allegations

A group of Trade Union Veterans, including the pioneer President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, and other key figures in the creation and registration of the Labour Party, have called for the resignation of the embattled national Chairman, Julius Abure.

The Veterans have accused Abure of desecrating the noble ideals that made them form the party and of monumental cases of fraud.

The Trade Union Veterans, who were instrumental in the formation of the Labour Party, have expressed their alarm at the alleged fraud being committed by the party’s national Chairman.

They have called for Abure to step aside immediately to save the party from further embarrassment.

According to the statement issued by the group, the Labour Party was formed to free Nigerian people from decades of bad governance, and they cannot sit idly by as these ideals are being desecrated.

They have urged the Board of Trustees, under the Chairmanship of Comrade S. O. Ejiofoh, to appoint a Caretaker National Chairman to organize Congresses in the States before the National Convention can be convened.

The statement also emphasized the need to enlarge the Board of Trustees to accommodate representatives of the new stakeholders, including Mr. Peter Obi, Governor Alex Otti, and the Labour Party Legislative Caucus.

The body will be charged with implementing the Memorandum of Understanding referred to earlier.

In response to those attacking the NLC Presidents, including the current one, Comrade Joe Ajaero, for defending the ethical values of the founding fathers of the Labour Party, the Trade Union Veterans have clarified that decisions at the NLC are made through organs such as the National Administrative Council (NAC), the Central Working Committee (CWC), and the National Executive Council (NEC).

The Trade Union Veterans also pointed out that Abure has refused to implement the Memorandum of Understanding brokered by INEC and signed by all stakeholders.

They claimed that he has sidelined the Board of Trustees and those who worked tirelessly to get the Labour Party registered due to his hidden agenda.

The Labour Leaders concluded their statement by emphasizing the history of the Labour Party and its formation, which was recommended by the Political Bureau set up by General Ibrahim Babaginda during his transition.

The process was later scuttled when General Babaginda opted to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).

The struggle to form the Labour Party continued until it was eventually registered as the Party for Social Democracy (PSD) and later changed to the Labour Party in 2001.