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A civil society organisation, Nigeria Integrity Watch (NIW), has called for the removal of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president, Joe Ajaero, accusing him of dragging the labour movement into partisan politics.
In a statement issued Friday, September 12, in Abuja, NIW’s national convener, Dr. John Samuel Nangi, faulted Ajaero’s comments on the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing them as “a misguided intervention” that undermines the NLC’s credibility.
The group alleged that by openly criticising the Senate and threatening nationwide resistance over the matter, Ajaero had “meddled in the legislature’s internal affairs” and disregarded due legal processes.
It argued that since the case is already before the courts, it should be left for judicial resolution rather than being influenced by public pressure.
According to a report from Vanguard, NIW further noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was decided during plenary and, under Senate rules, any reinstatement must equally come from another plenary decision.
The group expressed dismay that Ajaero, who has not publicly advised the senator to comply with a Federal High Court ruling requiring her to apologise and pay a ₦5 million fine, is now urging the Senate to ignore its own rules.
“It’s unfortunate that the NLC is now encouraging disobedience to court pronouncements,” the statement read.
NIW accused Ajaero of lowering the standards of labour leadership and turning the union into a “one-man organisation.”
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It urged the NLC to “rise up to this challenge and purge itself of this bad leader,” warning that his continued political involvement could heighten tensions and damage the union’s long-standing reputation for independence.
The group concluded by stressing that the legislature should be allowed to handle the senator’s case in line with parliamentary procedures, without external interference.
