As the conflict between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Labour Party continues, the leadership of the Labour Party has threatened to take the NLC to court.
The National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party, Kehinde Edun, voiced the party’s stance in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday.
Edun emphasised that the NLC holds no authority over the Labour Party, citing legal provisions and constitutional principles.
“NLC is powerless to do anything with Labour Party. They are on a frolic of their own. INEC said the commission has reviewed the documents and the records pertaining to the Labour Party in the custody of INEC and membership of Labour Party in article 1 and article 9 of Labour party constitution 2009 does not confer any special or superior status on the NLC. The laws of Nigeria can not permit an association to run a political party.
“No association can register a political party. Our laws do not permit it. It is only individuals that can register a party, it is only individuals that can be members of a political party. No association can be a member of a political party. Membership of the party is on an individual basis.”
He also made it clear that despite the NLC’s repeated formation of committees, none of them have gained recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as it contradicts existing legal frameworks, affirming that currently, Julius Abure is the only individual recognised by INEC.
“NLC has been on this for a long time and it’s unfortunate, but the party has been running. The only person that is recognised with INEC today is Barrister Julius Abure. INEC has never recognised any of the committees they have been setting up. There is no recognition for them because our law will never support it. We know that some people are misled but we will continue to educate the public.”
He added, “This consent judgment they are parading is a declarative judgment. A declarative is dormant. It doesn’t have the force of execution. They have been trying to enforce it for six years, but it wasn’t enforceable because those terms are unconstitutional, those terms are illegal and the court already said it is binding on parties who signed it.”
Concerning whether there is a way forward that will not exclude the NLC from the party, he said, “We want everybody on board and our advice to them is that they go and register to be members of the political party. Once you are registered, you can aspire to any office.
“The NLC is important. We want them. But we are saying that they can only come as members, as individuals. And when they come as individuals, let them go and register in their wards. They can move their way up. Anybody can aspire to be chairman.”
Melissa Enoch
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