2027: Crack in NLC over pro- Tinubu group ,As affiliates kick

There seems to be palpable tension between the national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and some of its affiliates over its directive to the latter to disassociate themselves from a group said to be working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, tagged Working People United, WoPU, under the leadership of immediate past President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Comrade Williams Akporeha.

Media checks revealed that the national leadership of the NLC had issued a formal warning to its members to distance themselves from the inauguration of the Lagos State chapter of the pro-Tinubu group, which held on Wednesday in Lagos.
It is worthy of note that the Chairman of the NLC, Lagos State Council, Comrade Agnes Sessi, is the Lagos State Coordinator of the pro-Tinubu group.
Investigations also revealed that the Comrade Joe Ajaero-led NLC had since formally queried the Chairman of its Lagos Council for allegedly disregarding its directive not to grace the inauguration of WoPU, which had Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, among invited dignitaries.
In the memo sighted, dated August 11, 2026, and signed by the Deputy General Secretary/Head of Information Department and Public Affairs of the NLC, Benson Upah, Comrade Sessi was formally queried over her role in the group.
The NLC further accused the Chairman of its Lagos Council of failing to inform or consult the Congress leadership before fraternising with the group promoting a fresh mandate for President Tinubu.
“Your involvement in the activities of the organisation appears to be in violation of the oath of office you took as Chairperson of the Lagos State Council and raises serious concerns regarding your obligations to the Congress,” the memo stated.
The memo equally accused her of “betraying the oath of office,” “acting in contravention of the established rules, regulations and directives of the Congress,” “promoting or supporting a parallel organisation to the Congress,” and “undermining the authority of the national body.”
WoPU’s Reaction
The National Coordinator General of the pro-Tinubu forum, Comrade Akporeha, noted that the directive of the NLC national secretariat instructing presidents and general secretaries of affiliate unions not to associate with WoPU is not in accordance with the constitution.
He described the directive as a gross violation of provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the International Labour Organization Convention on freedom of association.
According to the statement, “They have now ignored their constitutional mandate of protecting workers’ welfare to dabble into politics for the single reason of being against the re-election of Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in 2027.
“Working People United sees this directive as an affront on the sensibility of Nigerian workers, Nigerian working people, Nigerian citizens and our constitution and rights.
“WoPU views this directive as a fundamental violation of the constitutional rights of Nigerian workers to freedom of association as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees:
‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his/her interests.’”
Comrade Akporeha, who maintained that “no law in NLC constitution requires that a political support group must seek approval of some persons in the hierarchy before it operates,” further accused Comrade Ajaero of coercing affiliates of the NLC to support only the candidates of the Labour Party.
The statement further read:
“Working People United (WoPU) is a convergent of like minds across all professions, artisans, Market Men & women, working people from formal sectors & informal sectors, private and public sectors, who have decided to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and other progressive minded candidates seeking leadership, against the forced coercion of the Ajaero-led NLC to support a candidate and a party he wishes for his own personal promised gains.
“It is unfortunate that some persons in NLC are now arrogating powers they do not possess by directing individual, unions, affiliates that their members should only join and support Labour Party.
“We recollect how this person has tried to coerce all workers to join LP and support a particular candidate in the last election and still doing same in 2027, against the freedom of association of individual.
“It should be noted that, the NLC is a group of individual unions with their rights and decision via their various organs as enshrined and governed by their individual constitution and not by any person in NLC.
“It is unfortunate, the assertion of not taking permission from some few leaders of NLC, for individuals to exercise their constitutional fundamental human rights to belong to any association of his/her choice is now a treasonable offence.
“To say the least, this is laughable and appalling that some few individuals are trying to drag our highly respected NLC to this very lowest ebb.
“This constitutes a threat, deliberate and direct affront against the rights of working people to freely associate.”