The Labour Party has ruled out granting automatic tickets to any aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that even its most recognisable figure, former presidential candidate Peter Obi, must go through competitive primaries if he chooses to return.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, made this clear in an interview with newsmen recently, amid growing uncertainty over Obi’s political direction and the deepening rift between him and the Julius Abure-led leadership.
Ifoh stressed that reconciliation with Obi and other aggrieved stakeholders remains possible, but internal democratic processes will not be compromised.
“Every candidate must emerge through a democratically convened convention. There is no automatic ticket for anyone, whether as presidential, governorship or chairmanship aspirants,” he said.
He added that Obi has kept his distance from the current leadership for about a year.
“Obi’s position in Labour Party can only be answered by him. Nobody can speak for him. Whether he is in the ADC or Labour Party, he is the only one that can answer that question,” Ifoh explained.
Party Activities Continue
On why the recent NEC meeting did not address Obi’s matter, Ifoh said the session was focused on kick-starting congresses and primaries.
“The NEC meeting we had was to kick-start our congresses, which we have conducted successfully. In Abia State, there was a court injunction, which we upheld. We have conducted primaries in Ekiti and will soon repeat same in Osun. INEC monitored everything and gave us key codes to upload our candidates,” he said.
He insisted the party is moving forward and hopes to achieve its set goals by 2027.
Rift With Abure Leadership
The strained relationship between Obi and National Chairman Julius Abure dates back to the aftermath of the 2023 presidential election.
Obi’s camp accused Abure of mishandling party funds, failing to account for campaign donations, and consolidating control of party structures without consultation. Abure denied the allegations.
Multiple factions challenged Abure’s legitimacy in court, leaving Obi publicly distancing himself from the disputes. By early 2024, Obi had withdrawn from most party activities, deepening his political ambiguity.
The Labour Party’s latest stance comes days after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged Obi to decide whether he will join its coalition ahead of 2027.
While acknowledging his influence, the ADC insisted it would not alter its principles or zoning arrangements to accommodate him.
Obi was recently quoted in a YouTube interview expressing concern over “instability” within the ADC coalition, though his media office later denied granting the interview.
ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi said: “If that is the condition for Obi to join us, maybe he should wait till that time.”
Obi’s ally, Yunusa Tanko, appealed for patience, saying the former governor, now perceived as the most credible challenger to incumbent President Bola Tinubu, must take his time and do “wide consultation” before deciding his political future.
The unfolding drama appears to leave Obi with bad choices; nearly all the major parties are fragmented with internal conflicts besides the ADC, which itself has powerful politicians like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, almost sure to win the presidential nomination ticket there.
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