Why we’re now focused on building structures – Labour Party

2026-02-25 - 15:36

By John Alechenu, Abuja The interim national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Nenadi Usman, has said the party is now focused on building an enduring structure beginning with a comprehensive grassroots membership registration, which she explained is the foundation for success in the 2027 general election. Usman said this in her opening remarks at a multi-level strategic stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Wednesday. She lamented that the party was unable to defend its legitimate number of votes in court after the 2023 general elections, largely because it failed to take advantage of the structure provided by its affiliates, such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to put forward grassroots-based evidence. She said, “We saw that in the 2023 election, we did not use these two institutions to anchor the party very firmly at the grassroots. The party chairman noted that this omission equally led to a crisis which threatened its core existence. According to her, for any political party to be successful, it must begin with accurately registering members from the polling unit level to the ward, local government and upwards. She explained that without knowing the exact number of members, their locations, and identities, effective planning and mobilisation remain impossible. While making a case for the ongoing membership registration exercise, she said, “If we can use them to register our members right from the polling unit, then we know we are on the way to success. “This would provide reliable data for deploying polling unit agents, ensuring oversight during vote counting and securing signed EC8A forms – essential evidence that was lacking in 2023.” She further said, “No structure can ever be built without a foundation. The chairman said no polling unit in Nigeria lacks serving or retired workers, giving the LP unparalleled nationwide presence if mobilised effectively,” Usman said. “If we had been called upon in 2023, I want to assure you that even without payment, our members would have come out... stood at the polling units, watched our votes counted, signed the Form EC8A forms and collected it.” In a goodwill message read on his behalf by the Abia State Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emeto, the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, called for unity among party faithful. He said, “Politics, like governance, thrives on unity of purpose. The strength of any political movement lies not merely in numbers, but in cohesion, clarity of vision, discipline, and shared conviction. “Today’s gathering provides us the opportunity to reflect, to recalibrate, and to renew our collective commitment to the ideals that birthed this movement.” He said Abia State was able to record the success it has so far recorded largely because of the Labour Party’s programmes and policies, as well as fiscal discipline. Otti, however, said, “We must also acknowledge that sustainable political success requires internal harmony. “Reuniting the party is not about papering over differences; it is about building trust, strengthening structures, deepening communication, and ensuring that every stakeholder – from ward level to national leadership – feels valued and heard.” Vanguard News