We will not apologise for forming Labour Party – NLC president fumes

Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said that they will not apologise for forming the Labour Party.

He said this in an interview with the newsmen on Tuesday, 3rd of October, 2023. Ajaero stated that the party was created to enable regular Nigerians to run for office and win.

He also noted that even Peter Obi, the party’s standard bearer, is not a member of any labour organisation adding that the aim of the Party is being achieved as an Okada rider is currently in the National Assembly.

Ajaero said in part:

“We don’t have any apology for forming the Labour Party. Historically, the Labour Party is organised and formed by trade unions all over the world and I have said elsewhere that from early 1918 down the line to 1945, Michael Imodu came up with the Labour Party. In 1964, Imodu and a few others formed a party in 2003, Adams Oshiomole who later became the chairman of the APC.”

“Within that time when Adams Oshiomhole was contesting the governorship, the Labour Party aligned with those that formed the APC, AD, the ACN then, to sponsor Adams for him to have a joint ticket and it wasn’t a crime if the Labour Party decides to form an alliance with the other political parties. Thereafter, we changed and decided to have our own political party and today we’re not in alliance with any political party. And we don’t have an apology for forming a political party that will be beneficial to all the ordinary Nigerians. Just like the other parties are meant for other Nigerians to be used, all the members of the Labour Party are not workers.

“If you check the people in the National Assembly today, they are not members of any Labour Union. The same thing with even the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, he is not in any way related to any Labour Union. So any Nigerian that wants to belong to the Labour Party is free to belong in the Labour Party. The reason we formed the Labour Party is that Nigerian workers under the minimum wage cannot buy form and contest elections under any of the political parties be it APC or PDP.”

“That’s why we say we must have our own political party where a messenger or clerk can run elections and win. What we saw from the last election was a situation where even Okada riders are in the National Assembly today through the Labour Party. If anybody is having any doubt about it, the aim of forming the LP has been achieved and we will not apologise for it, if you can have your own Party why can’t the workers have their own party.” [CONTINUE READING HERE]>>>>