News Investigators/ A pro- President Bola Tinubu support group, Working People United (WoPU), has rejected a directive by some Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leaders asking affiliates to boycott its Lagos chapter inauguration.
WoPU National Coordinator-General, Akporeha Williams, made the position known at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.
The conference followed the inauguration of the state chapter of the workers’ political support movement.
Mr Williams described the directive as anti-democratic, saying it infringed on workers’ constitutional rights to freedom of association.
“Working People United hereby condemns in strongest terms the directive issued by some persons of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
“WoPU views this directive as a fundamental violation of the constitutional rights of Nigerian workers to freedom of association.
‘’The rights as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every person the right to assemble freely and associate with other persons.
“Working People United, a legitimately and duly registered support group, recognised by Nigerian law and government since October 2025, cannot be said to be unknown.
“Besides, no law in NLC constitution requires that a political support group must seek approval of some persons in the hierarchy before it operates,” he said.
The coordinator said that WoPU was a duly registered support group, established to mobilise working people across various sectors in support of good governance.
He said the organisation’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 was a legitimate political choice protected by the constitution.
Mr Williams said WoPU comprised people across professions, artisans, market associations, formal and informal sectors, as well as public and private establishments.
He alleged that some NLC officials were attempting to dictate the political choices of workers by directing them to support the Labour Party.
He maintained that individual unions within the NLC retained rights and decision-making powers under their respective constitutions.
According to him, the NLC should protect workers’ rights rather than interfere with their freedom to belong to political or other lawful associations.
“It is unfortunate that some persons in NLC are now arrogating powers they do not possess by directing individuals, unions and affiliates that their members should only join and support Labour Party.
“The NLC is a group of individual unions with their rights and decisions via their various organs as enshrined and governed by their individual constitutions and not by any person in NLC, ‘’ he said.
The coordinator-general said it was rather unfortunate that stopping NLC members from exercising their right to join any association was now called treason.
“This constitutes a threat, deliberate and direct affront against the rights of working people to freely associate,” he said.
Mr Williams said WoPU’s position was also anchored on Nigeria’s obligations under relevant International Labour Organisation conventions.
He cited ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which, according to him, guaranteed freedom of association and protection of workers’ rights to organise.
He said WoPU was not established to replace or undermine the NLC or any other labour organisation.
Mr Williams said, rather, that the group sought to provide a platform through which working people could participate in politics and advocate their interests.
“WoPU is a legitimate, constitutionally protected association, movement of Nigerian working people with interest in politics and good governance in Nigeria.
“It is a movement that brings together working people from all sectors to amplify their voices and advocate for their interests, especially in politics and other aspects,” he said.
According to him, WoPU is a projected movement of more than 70 million working Nigerians that advocate for good governance.
“WoPU recognises the giant strides of the present government by coming all out to seek the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
‘’It includes other progressives in the 2027 election on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
The coordinator urged the NLC to withdraw the directive and respect workers’ constitutional rights.
He also called on the congress to uphold Nigeria’s obligations under international labour standards and apologise to WoPU and its members.
Mr Williams appealed to Nigerian workers to exercise their rights without fear of intimidation or harassment.
He also urged security agencies to protect workers from alleged intimidation, particularly members of the WoPU Lagos chapter.
“The NLC’s directive is an affront to the Nigerian Constitution and international labour standards.
‘’No organisation, no matter how powerful, has the right to tell Nigerian workers which associations they can join.
“We again call on NLC to withdraw this illegal directive and stop further intimidation of the working people, especially within her affiliates, ‘’ he said.
Mr Williams expressed support for the WoPU Lagos Chairperson, Mrs Funmi Sessi, urging that she should not be intimidated over her political affiliation.
He called on the Department of State Services and other security agencies to protect workers from harassment, while urging relevant government authorities to monitor the situation.
He said WoPU remained committed to unity, productivity and progress among Nigerian working people.
Mr Williams said the organisation would continue to advocate responsible citizenship and good governance across the country.
He said WoPU would continue to mobilise workers and other Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections in support of its preferred candidates.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of workers from various registered trade unions assembled in Ikeja to grace the inauguration of the state chapter.
The assembly was led by the Lagos State NLC Chairperson, Mrs Agnes Sessi.
NAN
