JULIUS ABURE LEADS LABOUR PARTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IRI & NED TO BUILD PARTY AHEAD OF 2027

By Hassan Abdullahi

Reporting Live from Abuja, Nigeria

The Labour Party has taken a major step toward strengthening its internal structures and democratic capacity ahead of the 2027 general elections, as its National Chairman, Julius Abure, led the party into a strategic partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

The high-level capacity-building and institutional development event was held at the Labour Party National Headquarters in Abuja, with wide participation from members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC).

The initiative is aimed at upgrading the institutional capacity of political parties in Nigeria, with a strong focus on party development, leadership training, research, policy formulation, and democratic governance.

Delivering the welcome and goodwill address, Ms. Sentel Barnes, Resident Program Director of the International Republican Institute (IRI), commended the Labour Party for taking proactive steps to strengthen internal party democracy and institutional frameworks. 

She emphasized that strong political institutions are critical to sustaining democracy and improving governance outcomes in Nigeria.

The technical sessions featured a series of expert presentations by leading academics and political development practitioners.

Prof. Ernest Ereke, who delivered Paper 1, spoke on “The Imperative of Party Institutes in Political Party Operations.” 

He highlighted the importance of party institutes in driving:

Political party research

Policy analysis

Membership drives

Manifesto development

According to Prof. Ereke, well-structured party institutes are essential for building evidence-based policies and nurturing informed party membership.

Dr. Alao Sunday presented Paper 2 on “Structure and Governance of Party Institute,” outlining best practices for institutional organization, accountability, and leadership development within party structures.

Dr. Sunday also presented Paper 3 on “Modalities for Establishment and Implementation,” where he provided a framework for setting up and operationalizing party institutes to ensure sustainability and impact.

In Paper 4, he addressed “Funding and Viability of Party Institutes,” stressing the need for transparent funding models and long-term financial planning to ensure that party institutes remain functional and effective.

Speaking at the event, Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure made strong remarks on the state of political party development in Nigeria. 

He stated that many political parties lack the capacity to build internal leadership structures because they are often dominated by individuals who hijack party platforms for personal interests.

“Most political parties in Nigeria operate under the name and face of individuals, rather than institutions,” Abure said.

“This weakens internal democracy and undermines the bigger picture of national development.”

He further explained that the Labour Party Democracy and Leadership Institute is being built on the pillars of political education and national development, with a commitment to grooming future leaders through structured learning and research.

Abure declared that the Labour Party is determined to set the pace in institutional development among political parties in Nigeria.

“The Labour Party will always lead other political parties in building stronger democratic and political institutions,” he said. 

“Our institute will focus on basic research, knowledge acquisition, leadership development, and policy innovation to strengthen democracy in Nigeria.”

The partnership with IRI and NED is widely seen as a significant milestone for the Labour Party as it prepares for the 2027 elections, signaling a renewed focus on institutional growth, political education, and democratic consolidation.

Observers at the event described the initiative as a bold move that could redefine internal party operations and set new standards for political party development in Nigeria.