Labour Commission takes action against faction backing Tinubu, summons Lagos chief for explanation

A fresh internal disagreement has emerged within the Nigeria Labour Congress, sparked by a directive from its national secretariat instructing affiliate unions and officials to avoid involvement with the Working People United, a support group campaigning for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027.

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This directive has reportedly created tension among sections of the organised labour movement, particularly after Lagos State Council Chairman Agnes Sessi participated in WoPU activities on Wednesday, despite the national leadership's stance.

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Sessi, who is also the Lagos State Coordinator of WoPU, has been queried by the NLC national secretariat over her association with the organisation, which is led nationally by Williams Akporeha, the immediate past President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

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A memo dated August 11, 2026, and signed by NLC Deputy General Secretary Benson Upah, accused Sessi of disregarding the directive and failing to consult the congress leadership before associating with WoPU, raising questions about her responsibilities as an elected officer.

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The memo stated that Sessi's involvement in WoPU's activities appears to be in violation of the oath of office she took as Chairperson of the Lagos State Council, and raises serious concerns regarding her obligations to the Congress.

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The NLC also accused her of betraying the oath of office, acting in contravention of established rules and regulations, promoting a parallel organisation, and undermining the authority of the national body.

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This action has opened a wider debate within labour circles over the extent to which the NLC's national leadership can regulate the political activities of its officials and members, particularly as political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.

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Akporeha rejected the NLC leadership's position, describing the directive against WoPU as an infringement on the constitutional right of workers and citizens to freely associate.

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In a statement, Akporeha argued that the NLC had no authority to prevent workers from belonging to a political support organisation of their choice, and that the directive amounted to a violation of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

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Akporeha stated that the NLC has ignored its constitutional mandate to protect workers' welfare and is instead dabbling in politics to oppose President Tinubu's re-election in 2027.

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WoPU considers the directive a fundamental violation of the constitutional rights of Nigerian workers to freedom of association, as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

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Akporeha further argued that there is no provision in the NLC constitution requiring a political support group to obtain approval from the national leadership before operating.

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He accused NLC President Joe Ajaero of attempting to compel affiliates and workers to support the Labour Party and its preferred candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

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The group also accused some NLC officials of attempting to dictate the political choices of individual workers, directing them to only join and support the Labour Party.

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Akporeha recalled the NLC's involvement in the 2023 elections, alleging that the labour leadership had similarly attempted to persuade workers to support the Labour Party and its candidate.

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He maintained that the NLC is made up of individual unions with their own constitutional structures and decision-making organs, and that the NLC leadership cannot dictate the political choices of its members.

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Akporeha described the attempt to restrict workers from associating with groups outside the NLC's preferred political direction as unacceptable and a threat to the rights of working people to freely associate.

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The dispute comes against the backdrop of growing political activity among labour groups as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, with the NLC's political posture attracting increased attention since the emergence of the Labour Party as a major force during the 2023 elections.

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The latest disagreement involving Sessi and WoPU raises fresh questions about the boundaries between the institutional responsibilities of the NLC and the individual political choices of its officials and members.

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At the centre of the dispute is whether the national leadership can restrict the political associations of elected labour officials, and whether such restrictions are consistent with the constitutional freedom of association invoked by WoPU.

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The immediate outcome of the NLC query to Sessi is expected to determine whether the dispute remains an internal disciplinary matter or develops into a wider confrontation between the national secretariat and labour officials sympathetic to different political camps ahead of 2027.