By Comrade Abbas Ibrahim
For many Nigerians, the Labour Party is seen merely as another political platform occupied by career politicians who leveraged its structure to gain relevance, prominence and, in some cases, political power. History, however, must be confronted with honesty.
The Labour Party did not emerge from elite political calculations or negotiations among power brokers. Its roots lie firmly in the struggles of Nigerian workers. In 2002, through the platform of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), workers established the Party for Social Democracy (PSD), which later transformed into today’s Labour Party. Its mission was to create a political platform with a genuine labour identity, driven by the principles of social justice, solidarity, equity and human dignity.Its motto, “Forward Ever,” is not a ceremonial slogan. It is a declaration of struggle.
At the heart of Labour Party’s principle is a powerful conviction, the average Nigerian must be able to afford the basic necessities of life. Workers should not be treated like economic slaves in a nation blessed with enormous human and material resources.
Unlike many political parties that awaken only during election cycles, Labour Party possesses what may be Nigeria’s most enduring grassroots institutional advantage. Backed by the twin labour centres, the NLC and TUC. The party is connected to organized unions spread across all 774 local government areas of the federation. These are living structures rooted in workplaces, communities, towns and rural settlements. With such a network, political mobilisation can be rapid, and nationwide.
Yet, no honest assessment can ignore the turbulence the party has faced. Internal conflicts, power struggles and orchestrated divisions that fragmented confidence. But politics is also about renewal.
With the emergence of Senator Nenadi Usman’s leadership and a renewed effort at repositioning the party, Labour Party now faces a historic responsibility, to rebuild trust, strengthen internal democracy and reconnect with Nigerians as a truly people centered movement.
Encouragingly, the evolving blend of seasoned political actors and committed labour comrades may provide the balance required for the difficult journey ahead.
After observing Nigeria’s political landscape and reflecting on years spent within both private and public labour spaces, one truth becomes unavoidable: commitment to the labour movement is not merely political participation, it is a lifelong conviction shaped by experience, struggle and the realities faced by ordinary citizens.
One cannot discuss Labour Party’s resilience without acknowledging Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, the party’s lone governor who stood firm despite shifting alliances, political realignments and mounting pressures. His steadfastness speaks volumes. History often remembers not those who followed the people crowd, but those who remained anchored to principles.
The widening insecurity, economic hardship and deepening inequality require competence, compassion and policies anchored in social Justice.
Nigerians must therefore rise beyond political drama and embrace a platform that was conceived from struggle, built on solidarity and sustained by the aspirations of working people.
Labour Party must not merely seek electoral victory in 2027, it must capture the national yearning for fairness, accountability and positive economic transformation.
After all, the person wearing the shoe knows where it pinches.
Nigeria deserves better. Workers deserve dignity. Citizens deserve responsive governance. And incompetence, no matter how cleverly packaged, cannot be repeatedly counterfeited, sooner or later, reality exposes it.
The task ahead is to organise, mobilise and move “Forward Ever” “Backward Never,” toward a more just and prosperous Nigeria.
Comrade Abbas Ibrahim writes from Kano.
He can be reached via: abbasibrahim664@gmail.com