ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Labour Party has ruled out granting automatic tickets to any aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that even its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, must go through competitive primaries if he intends to seek the party’s nomination.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated this in an interview with The Punch amid growing uncertainties surrounding Obi’s political direction and the deepening rift between him and the Julius Abure-led national leadership.
According to Ifoh, while the door remains open for reconciliation with Obi and other aggrieved stakeholders, the party will not compromise its internal democratic processes.
“We have answered this question several times. The Labour Party has constantly said that the issue of tickets will be determined at the party’s convention.
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“Every candidate must emerge through a democratically convened convention. There is no automatic ticket for anyone presidential, governorship or chairmanship”, he said.
Ifoh noted that Obi has had minimal interaction with the current leadership for nearly a year, a situation he said only the former Anambra governor can explain.
“In the last one year, he has not really spoken with the current leadership. Not only him, many others have also kept their distance,” he added.
On why the recent National Executive Council meeting did not address issues concerning Obi, Ifoh explained that the session focused on kick-starting the party’s congresses and primaries.
He said the party had successfully conducted primaries in Ekiti State and was preparing for similar exercises in Osun, with the Independent National Electoral Commission fully monitoring the process.
Tensions between Obi and Abure’s leadership date back to the aftermath of the 2023 presidential election.
Obi’s camp accused the national chairman of mishandling party funds, refusing to account for campaign donations, and attempting to tighten his grip on party structures, allegations Abure has consistently denied.
The leadership crisis deepened as multiple factions challenged Abure’s legitimacy in court, further complicating efforts to stabilise the party.
Party insiders say Obi grew uncomfortable with what he viewed as a pattern of internal conflicts, contradictory court rulings, and actions he believed undermined the movement’s reform agenda.
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By early 2024, Obi had quietly withdrawn from most party activities, and communication between both camps became almost non-existent.
The Labour Party’s latest position comes days after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged Obi to make a decision on joining its emerging coalition for the 2027 elections.
While acknowledging Obi’s political weight, the ADC stressed it would not alter its zoning formula or bend its internal structure to accommodate him.
Obi was recently quoted in a YouTube interview expressing concern over “instability” within the ADC coalition, an interview his media office later disowned.
ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi insisted zoning remains non-negotiable.
“If that is the condition for Obi to join us, maybe he should wait till that time,” he said.
However, Obi’s ally and former campaign spokesperson, Yunusa Tanko, appealed to the ADC to give the former candidate more time, saying he must consult widely before taking a final stance on his political future.