The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a comprehensive verification exercise at the national secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja, as part of efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC team, led by Mansur Hassan, is mandated to assess the party’s leadership structure, membership register, financial records, and compliance with statutory requirements, including documentation relating to its secretariat.
Speaking to party officials and journalists before the exercise began, Hassan emphasised that the mission was more than a routine check.
“We are monitors, not observers. We are here to monitor and correct things, not just observe,” he said, noting that the team would verify the membership of the party’s executive bodies, inspect tenancy documents, and obtain copies of relevant records.
The exercise comes at a crucial time for the Labour Party, which has been dealing with internal leadership disputes and ongoing efforts to stabilise its structure.
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In her remarks, the party’s interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, welcomed the verification and reaffirmed the leadership’s commitment to rebuilding the party.
She stressed the need for unity, urging aggrieved factions within the party to return and work together.
“The party is bigger than any individual. Leadership will come and go, but the party must remain strong,” she said, while appealing for reconciliation among members.
Usman also presented the requested documents to the INEC team and guided them through the party’s offices as part of the verification process.
The development follows a similar exercise recently conducted by INEC at the Social Democratic Party, as the commission intensifies efforts to ensure that political parties comply with legal and organisational standards ahead of the next election cycle.
