News

JUST IN: Ajaero Mobilises NLC Members To Take Over LP Offices Nationwide

Published

1 year ago

April 8, 2025

Editor

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday, wrote union leaders to begin the process of mobilising their members in readiness to invade and take over the 36 offices and national secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja.

Ajaero gave the directive in an internal memo made available to The PUNCH in Abuja.

The NLC president’s directive comes in the wake of Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court which vacated earlier judgment of the lower courts.

The move was reminiscent of the March 21, 2024 invasion where aggrieved unionists broke into LP headquarters and other offices, an act that the National Working Committee said was a deliberate action to steal their sensitive documents and money.

But Ajaero insisted that they could not fold their hands and watch Abure and his team defy the Supreme Court’s pronouncement.

He said, “Just as we warned him about a year ago that Nigerian workers and genuine members of the Labour Party will always collect what belongs to them no matter how long a mischief lasts. By this communication, we urge every worker in Nigeria, all genuine members of the Labour Party and all lovers of democracy, to be on standby to once again peacefully repossess all offices of the Labour Party nationwide.

“The leadership of the NLC Political Commission and other concerned Labour Party stakeholders will issue necessary directives to this effect. We are also putting all the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service, on notice that they have a constitutional duty to enable and enforce the judgement of the Supreme Court.

“We expect their cooperation as we pursue the rule of law. Any action to the contrary will present our dear country as a banana republic. Nigerian workers and people, especially genuine members of the Labour Party, will not sit back and watch unscrupulous elements desecrate Nigeria’s laws and the well-founded judgement of the Supreme Court.”

Continuing, Ajaero expressed shock that despite the judgment, Abure and his alleged co-travellers could still be parading themselves as national officers of the party.

The Labour leader bemoaned that the arrogance of the LP leadership and disregard for the rule of law was what made them invade their nationwide offices and secretariat last year.

To resolve the leadership vacuum in the party, the NLC president said the surviving institutional members of the LP National Executive Committee would appoint an interim leadership to conduct an inclusive National Convention in line with the provisions of the LP Constitution and the consent judgment.

This was even as he demanded the removal of Abure and his loyalists’ names from the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Finally, we call on the Independent National Electoral Commission which had always pleaded alignment with the pronouncement of the court of law in the leadership issues in the Labour Party to give full effect to the conclusive judgment of the Supreme Court by removing every insignia of Mr Julius Abure and his National Working Committee from its portals,” the statement added.

Efforts to get the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, were unsuccessful.

However, the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Umar Farouk told our correspondent that they are preparing to release a statement in response to Ajaero’s threat.

“We will soon issue a statement on it. The threat is nothing new. We are used to their rascality,” he said. I

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.