The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are locked in a war of words, with the APC accusing the NLC leadership of cozying up to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while labour unions fire back, slamming the APC for trying to muzzle their fight for workers’ rights.
In a statement on Friday, APC’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, called out Osun NLC Chairman Dr. Christopher Arapasopo for allegedly acting as a mouthpiece for Governor Ademola Adeleke instead of sticking to labour issues. “It’s shameful and unethical,” Olabisi said, claiming Arapasopo’s actions confirm suspicions that the NLC has become a PDP puppet, risking the labour movement’s credibility. He urged the chairman to stop letting political ties taint the union’s work.
The labour unions—NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC)—hit back hard in a joint statement signed by Arapasopo and others. They blasted the APC’s attack as a “tyrannical” attempt to silence them, vowing not to back down. “This is an affront to our rights and liberties,” the statement read, accusing the APC of disregarding social justice for workers and pensioners.
The unions insisted they’d keep defending Osun workers against any intimidation, calling the labour movement a cornerstone of democracy.
The spat underscores growing tensions in Osun’s political scene, with the APC claiming the NLC’s partisan tilt could hurt workers, while labour insists it’s standing firm against political bullying to protect its members.
