The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced the temporary suspension of its earlier plan to occupy the national and state secretariats of the Labour Party (LP), citing ongoing intervention efforts by concerned stakeholders and the need to allow room for peaceful resolution of the party’s internal crisis.
The decision was made public on Monday, May 6, 2025, through a statement signed by the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah. The congress said the move to backtrack on its earlier directive followed appeals and mediation efforts from prominent Nigerians, including labour veterans, party elders, and civil society groups.
According to the NLC, its initial plan to take over the secretariats stemmed from what it described as a hijack of the Labour Party by political profiteers and individuals with no ideological or structural connection to the party’s working-class roots. The congress has been vocal about what it sees as the marginalization of workers’ voices in the affairs of the Labour Party, which it helped establish as a political platform for Nigerian workers and the downtrodden.
“In deference to the intervention of highly respected Nigerians and the need to give room for sincere dialogue and reconciliation, the Nigeria Labour Congress has decided to temporarily suspend its planned occupation of the Labour Party’s national and state secretariats,” the statement read.
The labour body stressed, however, that the suspension is not a cancellation of its demands, reiterating that it will not fold its arms while the party continues to drift further from its founding principles. The congress accused the current leadership of the party, under Julius Abure, of promoting undemocratic practices, sidelining workers, and turning the party into a personal fiefdom.
“We cannot allow a political party built by the sweat and sacrifices of Nigerian workers to be converted into a private estate. This is not what the Labour Party was created for,” Upah stated.
Tensions between the NLC and the Labour Party leadership escalated in the months following the 2023 general elections. The congress had accused the LP leadership of excluding its input from key decisions, including the selection of candidates and the management of party resources. Several efforts to reconcile both parties failed to yield significant results, leading to the NLC’s declaration of a nationwide campaign to reclaim the party.
On March 5, 2024, the NLC issued a directive to its affiliate unions across the country to mobilize and prepare for mass action, including picketing and occupying LP secretariats, unless urgent reforms were implemented. At the time, the congress argued that the Labour Party had deviated from its pro-worker, socialist-leaning ideology and become indistinguishable from other mainstream parties accused of corruption and elite capture.
The leadership of the Labour Party, on its part, has maintained that the NLC is overstepping its bounds, insisting that the party is an independent political entity and not a subsidiary of any trade union. The party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, in several press briefings, called on the NLC to respect the autonomy of the party and engage constructively rather than resorting to threats and intimidation.
Despite this, some party members and state chapters have expressed support for the NLC’s position, alleging lack of transparency and accountability in the current leadership. In some states, parallel structures have emerged, with factions loyal to the congress challenging the authority of the national executive.
The temporary suspension of the planned occupation is seen by many observers as a window of opportunity for both sides to return to the dialogue table and save the party from an imminent internal implosion. Political analysts have warned that a prolonged rift between the NLC and LP leadership could weaken the party’s chances in future elections and erode the public goodwill it garnered during the 2023 elections.
Reacting to the NLC’s latest statement, a Labour Party youth wing spokesperson, Comrade Adaeze Onu, described the move as “a mature and strategic pause,” urging both parties to recommit to the founding ideals of the LP. “There’s still room for reconciliation, and the suspension gives us that opportunity to listen to one another. Our party must remain a home for workers and the masses,” she said.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations have begun reaching out to both the NLC and LP leadership to broker a lasting peace. A coalition led by the Centre for Democratic Dialogue (CDD) has proposed a neutral panel made up of labour veterans, political scholars, and credible former party officials to mediate the talks.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the LP’s national leadership to the NLC’s suspension notice. However, sources within the party revealed that closed-door meetings were being held to evaluate the implications and consider possible concessions.
While the suspension of the planned secretariat occupation may have doused the immediate tension, the underlying issues remain largely unresolved. The NLC has made it clear that it expects visible and measurable changes in how the Labour Party is run, or it may be forced to resume its direct action.
“The decision to suspend was difficult, but it is strategic,” Benson Upah emphasized. “Our resolve remains unshaken. This is only a pause, not a surrender.”
