From Victor Osula, Abuja
A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Julius Abure has dismissed any notion of an automatic presidential ticket for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Anambra governor and LP’s 2023 presidential candidate recently announced his intention to seek the party’s nomination again for the 2027 presidency.
However, the Labour Party remains embroiled in internal disputes, with rival factions led by Julius Abure, Senator Nenadi Usman, and Lamidi Apapa each claiming legitimate leadership of the party.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Abure-led faction, through its National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, declared that no candidate, including Obi, will receive an automatic ticket.
According to the statement, the party’s nomination process is governed by established rules that exclude automatic candidacies.
The statement read in part:
“Firstly, while we do not oppose anyone seeking to contest under the Labour Party banner in 2027, it must be made clear that the party has long-standing rules regarding candidate emergence, and automatic tickets are not part of this process.
“Recall that during the party’s 2024 National Convention, automatic tickets were mistakenly granted to our former presidential candidate and the party’s sole governor. That decision has since been rescinded and reversed after thorough review of the party’s statutes.”
Ifoh added, “Secondly, hours after Peter Obi announced his intention to run under the Labour Party, he was spotted at a meeting of a pro-coalition group in Abuja, without the party leadership’s consent.
“This is perplexing and suggests that Obi has yet to clarify his stance regarding the 2027 presidential contest.
“The party has consistently stated it will not engage in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 elections. Obi’s continued involvement with the coalition group is not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party leadership.
“It undermines the party’s authority and shows blatant disregard for internal party processes.”
The Abure-led faction concluded by affirming that the 2027 Labour Party presidential ticket remains open to all aspirants who choose to contest within the party’s rules.
