Julius Abure-led LP says no automatic ticket for Obi in 2027; ‘we reaffirm Peter Obi’s right to contest 2027 elections under Labour Party’_ LP-NCC

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has asserted that its presidential candidate from the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, is unclear about his intentions ahead of the 2027 polls, insisting that there will be no autom atic ticket for him.

The party’s factional National Chairman, Julius Abure, in a statement on Monday, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, stated that reports of the party ‘celebrating’ Obi’s declaration to run on its platform in 2027 were false.

It was gathered that Obi may have ruled out his participation in the coalition that would challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), by informing his supporters that he would contest the 2027 general elections under the LP’s banner.

He commented while addressing a group of young supporters in a video circulated on Saturday via the party’s WhatsApp platform.

In response to a question about which platform he intended to contest the 2027 elections, Obi stated, “I will continue to run in the Labour Party. I’m a member of the Labour Party.”

However, the party clarified that the impression created by the news regarding the celebration of Obi’s declaration was erroneous and misleading, and did not reflect the party’s stance or mood.

“Firstly, while we are not opposed to anyone running under the Labour Party’s platform in the 2027 general elections, we must make it unequivocally clear that the party has long-standing rules concerning how its candidates shall emerge, and an automatic ticket is not one of those routes.

“Recall that at the party’s National Convention in 2024, the party mistakenly granted automatic tickets to our former presidential candidate and the only governor of the party. However, that decision has since been rescinded and reversed following consultation of the statute books.

“Secondly, His Excellency, Peter Obi, mere hours after he expressed his intention to run under the Labour Party, was seen on Sunday attending a meeting of a pro-coalition group in Abuja without the permission or consent of the Labour Party leadership.

“This, to us, is confusing, and we believe that Peter Obi has yet to come to terms with his intentions for the 2027 presidential race,” Ifoh remarked.

He emphasised that the party had consistently stated that the Labour Party would not engage in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general elections, noting that Obi’s continued association with the alliance was not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party.

He added, “It is also an affront to the party leadership, and we regard his position as a total disregard for the party’s right to make decisions regarding its affairs.

“Therefore, through this statement, we are informing Nigerians that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wishes to run under the party’s platform,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party National Caretaker Committee (LP-NCC) has declared its full support for Peter Obi’s involvement in the ongoing opposition coalition talks aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

In a statement signed by Ken Asogwa, the Special Adviser (Media) to the LP-NCC Chairperson, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party dismissed claims that Obi, its 2023 presidential candidate, was engaging in the coalition discussions without official party support.

“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to reports circulating in some sections of the media suggesting that certain former members of our party, led by the suspended chairman, Barr. Julius Abure, have voiced disapproval over the participation of our 2023 presidential candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi, in the ongoing coalition movement aimed at rescuing Nigeria from the failed APC administration in 2027,” the statement read.

“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.”

The party described Obi’s actions as consistent with its values and mission, noting that his push for collaboration was driven by a shared goal of addressing Nigeria’s deep-rooted socio-economic issues.

“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,” the LP-NCC noted.

The statement took aim at the factional chairman of LP, Julius Abure, and his supporters, labelling them as expelled individuals lacking the authority to speak for the 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,” Asogwa stated.

He added, “Is it that they disagree with Obi and the Labour Party that Nigeria is presently facing an unprecedented crisis requiring collective action to salvage?”

The LP-NCC reaffirmed Peter Obi’s eligibility to run in 2027 under the Labour Party platform, even if the coalition talks do not lead to a unified front.

“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.”

The committee also criticised the faction’s insistence on the legitimacy of the 2024 national convention reportedly organised by Abure’s group, stating that the Supreme Court had already declared it illegal.

“It is rather comical that Abure and his band of entertainers continue to peddle the narrative of a purported 2024 national convention which was self-convened, unlawful, and ultimately denounced by the Supreme Court of Nigeria as illegal. Repeated reference to this so-called convention is not only misleading but also a flagrant contempt of the Supreme Court’s judgment and should be treated as such by the appropriate legal authorities,” the statement said.

The LP-NCC, therefore, urged the public to disregard any statements from the Abure-led faction, stressing that only communications from the Usman-led committee should be considered credible.

“For authentic and authoritative information regarding the Labour Party, the public is urged to rely solely on communications from the office of the National Caretaker Committee led by Distinguished Senator Nenadi Usman,” Asogwa advised.