INEC BEGINS VERIFICATION EXERCISE AT LABOUR PARTY SECRETARIAT AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS
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By Aishat Mooh. O.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday commenced a comprehensive verification exercise at the national secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja, intensifying regulatory oversight of political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC delegation, led by Mansur Hassan, is tasked with assessing the party’s leadership structure, membership register, financial records, and compliance with statutory requirements, including proof of tenancy or ownership of its national secretariat.
Speaking to party stakeholders and journalists before the exercise began, Hassan emphasized that the mission was beyond routine observation, describing it as a corrective and verification process.
“We are monitors, not observers. We are here to monitor and correct things, not just to observe. We want to verify membership of the party executive and the National Working Committee as contained in your constitution,” he said.
He added that the commission would also review tenancy documents, payment receipts, and obtain a soft copy of the party’s membership register, noting that officials would be split into teams to carry out the exercise.
The verification comes at a critical time for the Labour Party, which has been dealing with internal leadership disputes and efforts to stabilise its structure after months of factional crisis.
In her welcome address, the party’s interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, expressed readiness for the audit and reaffirmed the leadership’s commitment to rebuilding the party.
She acknowledged the timing of the exercise, noting that it coincides with the commencement of party congresses nationwide, but stressed the importance of strengthening internal structures.
“We need to build a strong foundation for our party. Without a strong political party, we cannot make meaningful progress,” Usman said.
She also called for unity within the party, extending an olive branch to aggrieved factions led by Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa, urging reconciliation ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“Leadership will come and go, but the party will remain. It is no victor, no vanquished,” she added, referencing a recent court ruling affecting the party.
Following her remarks, Usman presented the requested documents to INEC officials and conducted the delegation on a tour of the party’s offices and facilities.
The development comes less than 24 hours after INEC carried out a similar verification exercise on the Social Democratic Party, where it affirmed the party’s leadership after auditing its National Executive Committee, National Working Committee, and financial records.
The ongoing verification exercises are part of INEC’s broader efforts to ensure that registered political parties comply with constitutional provisions, maintain functional structures nationwide, and meet governance standards as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
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