The Julius Abure faction of Labour Party (LP) said the presidential ticket of the party was not reserved for Peter Obi, but open to all qualified Nigerians interested in aspiring for the office.
It said LP was not perturbed by Obi’s declaration that he would contest the 2027 general election on the platform of the party.
Obi had weekend assured his supporters that he would contest the 2027 general election on the LP platform. He said this while speaking to a group of young supporters in a seven-minute, 16-second video circulating on the party’s WhatsApp platform on Saturday.
The viral video was also confirmed by his spokesman, Dr Tanko Yunusa, and National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh.
Reacting, LP, through Ifoh, said, “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to the news trending in the media that the party is ‘celebrating’ that its candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has declared his intention to run on the platform of the party in 2027.
“I want to state emphatically that I was quoted out of context and, therefore, the impression conveyed by the news was erroneous, inaccurate and does not in any way reflect the position and mood in the party.
“First, while we are not opposed to anybody running under the platform of the LabourParty in the 2027 general election. We need to make it categorically clear that the party has a long standing rule on how its candidates shall emerge and automatic ticket is not one of the routes.
“Recall that at the party’s National Convention in 2024, the party had erroneously granted automatic tickets to our former presidential candidate and the only governor of the party. However, that decision has since been rescinded and reversed after consulting the statute books.
“Second, His Excellency, Peter Obi, hours after he spoke of his intention to run under the Labour Party, was on Sunday seen in a meeting of a pro-coalition group in Abuja without the permission and consent of the Labour Party leadership.
“This, to us, is really confusing and we think that Peter Obi has not come to terms with his intentions for the 2027 presidential race.
“We have consistently said Labour Party will not go into any coalition or merger of any sort ahead of 2027 general election. Therefore, Obi’s continued association with the coalition is not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party. It is also an affront to the party leadership and we view his position as a total disregard to the party’s right to make decision bidding its affairs.
“We are, therefore, by this statement letting Nigerians know that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wants to run under the platform of the party.”
But the Nenadi Usman-led faction of LP debunked the report by the Abure group that Obi attended the coalition meeting on Sunday without the consent of the party.
In a statement by Senior Special Adviser, Media, to Usman, Ken Asogwa, the party said, “To be clear, the National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party, under the able leadership of Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman, expressly approved and endorsed Peter Obi’s participation in the ongoing patriotic convergence of well-meaning Nigerians committed to dismantling the rudderless Tinubu administration.
“It is worth reiterating that Obi has consistently maintained that his interest lies solely in a coalition focused on eradicating hunger, insecurity, and poor governance – a vision that aligns squarely with the founding principles and aspirations of the Labour Party.
“It is therefore baffling that individuals who have been shown the exit door for their anti-party activities now seek to question a move so clearly rooted in national interest. One is left wondering whose agenda Julius Abure and his cohorts have truly been advancing. Is it that they disagree with Obi and the Labour Party that Nigeria is presently facing an unprecedented crisis requiring collective action to salvage?
“While the Labour Party wholeheartedly welcomes the coalition movement driven by the Nigerian people, we also reaffirm Peter Obi’s unequivocal right to contest the 2027 elections under the Labour Party platform – should the ongoing coalition efforts fail to materialise.”
Chuks Okocha
Follow us on:
