The internal power tussle within the Labour Party took a fresh turn following strong remarks from its factional national secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim.
Speaking to Trust TV, Ibrahim made it clear that the Labour Party’s 2027 presidential ticket is not locked in for any one individual. His comments are being seen as a direct challenge to the assumed candidacy of Peter Obi.
Ibrahim didn’t mince words. “Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency as good as Peter Obi. So, the seat of that candidacy is not reserved for anybody. It is open for a competitive contest.”
This is a clear reference to Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate.
He warned that Obi’s frequent engagements with leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party linked with the Third Force coalition — may backfire.
“There’s no way you’ll continue to romance with other political party and then you still come back and your one leg is in the Labour Party. No, ab initio, you may be disqualified,” he said.
Datti’s Candidacy a Real Option
Ibrahim affirmed that the Labour Party will allow a level playing field for all credible aspirants.
“If Datti is willing to aspire for presidency and he wants to do that under the Labour Party, we will open it. Come and buy the form, mobilise his support and then get elected.”
His tone suggests a warning to Obi: his strong following within the party may not be enough if he is perceived to be disloyal.
Datti Baba-Ahmed recently declared he would run for president in 2027, but only if Peter Obi chooses not to contest. In the same breath, he pledged loyalty to Obi’s leadership, saying the former Anambra governor “deserves another chance” to run under the Labour Party.
The Labour Party’s Crossroads
These internal tensions raise a question: who really controls the soul of the Labour Party ahead of 2027?
Peter Obi has continued to draw massive support among young Nigerians and urban voters. But the recent positioning by Datti and Ibrahim shows that the party is far from united.
If Obi’s camp does not re-engage with the party’s structures, he may face serious obstacles in reclaiming the ticket — even with his popularity.
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