Registrar of Trade Unions slams NLC; Warns against interference in Labour Party affairs

The Registrar of the Trade Unions in Nigeria has slammed the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC for meddling in the affairs of the Labour Party (LP), warning that the Act establishing the NLC does not permit it to interfere in the political activities of any political party.

Director/Registrar of Trade Unions, Falonipe Amos refers the NLC to Section 15 (1) (2) (3) of the Trade Unions Act ‘Cap T14 & TI5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 wherein on no account should NLC be involved in the running of, or patronizing political parties or persons into elective office.

The NLC has been in contention with the leadership of the Labour Party over proprietary rights claims, insisting that it owns the party even against the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria.

NLC has on several occasions sponsored crisis in the Labour Party using its agents such as its Political Commission, Labour Party Stakeholders, as well as the NLC’s Transition Committee. It has on many occasions picketed the national headquarters and all the state Secretariats of the Labour Party across the Federation. NLC also appointed some of its members into positions in the party even in contravention of the Appeal Court judgement that affirmed the current leadership of the party led by Barrister Julius Abure.

NLC through its agents and proxies has also been pilling pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to withdraw its recognition of the duly elected executives of the party and has also vowed to picket the Commission’s offices.

Section 15 (1) of the Trade Union Act specifically states that it is illegal for NLC or any other trade union to use monies generated by its members for the furtherance of any political objective.

According to the Act, “The following Objectives, and no others, are political objective for the purpose of this section, that is to say “the making of contribution towards the funds of any political party;

“the Payment of any expenses incurred (whether directly or indirectly) by a candidate or prospective candidate for election to any political office in Nigeria or any part of Nigeria, being expense incurred before, during or after election in connection with his candidature or election;

“The holding of any meeting or the distribution of any literature or document in support of any such candidate or prospective candidate;

“The maintenance of any person while he holds in Nigeria or any part of Nigeria a political office to which he has been elected;

“the registration of electors in Nigeria or any part thereof;

“the holding of a political meeting of any kind or the distribution of political literature or political documents of any kind, unless the main purpose of the meeting or distribution is to further the regulation of the terms and conditions of the employment of workers.”

He, therefore, said that “I wish to urge the leadership of NLC to be guided by the above provisions of the Trade Unions Act in dealing with Labour Party and any other political parties,”