The Independent National Electoral Commission has reportedly praised the Labour Party’s level of administrative organisation following a verification exercise conducted at the party’s national headquarters — a development that Interim National Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman cited as compelling evidence that the party, under his stewardship, is not only legally legitimate but operationally credible.
Speaking to Arise News on the same day that the Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed a leadership challenge brought by Julius Abure and affirmed his authority, Senator Usman revealed that INEC officials had visited the party’s offices that very day to review documentation, request specific records, and conduct an assessment of the party’s administrative processes. The outcome of that engagement, she said, far exceeded expectations.
“The way we presented our documents and all that — they praised us and said they have never seen anyone so organised,” Usman disclosed, describing the electoral commission’s remarks as both gratifying and validating. She acknowledged that the commendation was particularly heartwarming given the turbulent period the party had endured, adding that it reinforced her conviction that his administration had been managing the party’s affairs with diligence and integrity throughout the legal dispute.
The INEC verification exercise is a standard regulatory requirement, but Usman’s account suggests the commission’s response on this occasion went beyond a routine assessment. For a party that has spent considerable time embroiled in a highly publicised internal crisis, the electoral body’s reported praise represents a meaningful statement of confidence in the current administration’s fitness to govern its own affairs.
Senator Usman used the occasion to draw a direct connection between administrative credibility and electoral ambition. She made clear that the party’s aspiration to compete effectively at the national level — particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections — depends not merely on legal recognition or popular appeal, but on the strength and professionalism of its internal structures.
She also noted that the verification exercise had attracted the presence of some state chairmen who had previously been aligned with the opposing faction, interpreting their attendance as a positive signal that the party’s reunification process was gaining meaningful traction on the ground.
Beyond the administrative dimension, Senator Usman outlined her vision for the kind of Labour Party he intends to build — one that returns firmly to the foundational ideologies that defined the party’s original purpose: social justice, equal opportunity, and genuine representation of working Nigerians.
