Labour Party automatic tickets ruled out as leadership insists all 2027 aspirants, including Peter Obi, must face open primaries
Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said in Abuja on Thursday that the party will not grant Labour Party automatic tickets to any aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that former presidential candidate Peter Obi must participate in competitive primaries should he choose to return.
Also read: Labour Party Crisis Deepens Over Peter Obi’s 2027 Bid
His remarks came in an exclusive interview amid deepening uncertainty over Obi’s political future and ongoing tensions with the Julius Abure-led leadership.
Ifoh said the party remained open to reconciling with Obi and other aggrieved members but would not compromise its internal democratic standards.
He emphasised that all candidacies, including presidential, governorship and chairmanship positions, would be determined strictly through a democratically convened convention.
He noted that Obi had been distant from the current leadership for nearly a year, adding that only the former Anambra governor could clarify whether he intends to remain in the Labour Party or pursue an alternative platform.
Ifoh said the issue did not arise at the recent NEC meeting because the session focused on launching congresses and primaries already underway across several states.
He maintained that despite a court injunction delaying activities in Abia State, the party had complied fully with legal directives. INEC, he added, had monitored its ongoing primaries and provided access codes for uploading candidates, which he described as evidence that the party was stabilising ahead of 2027.
The rift between Obi and National Chairman Julius Abure stretches back to the turbulent aftermath of the 2023 election, when Obi’s allies accused the leadership of mismanaging party funds and failing to account for donations.
Abure denied the claims, yet internal factions pursued legal challenges that deepened mistrust and pushed Obi to withdraw from most party activities in early 2024.
Insiders said Obi grew uncomfortable with prolonged infighting, overlapping court orders and what he viewed as attempts to centralise control without broader consultation. Pressure from the Obidient movement for wider reforms further strained relations.
The Labour Party’s latest position comes days after the African Democratic Congress urged Obi to clarify whether he plans to join its emerging coalition ahead of the 2027 polls. While acknowledging his political stature, the ADC has insisted it will not adjust zoning or internal principles to accommodate him. Its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said zoning was non-negotiable.
Obi was recently quoted expressing concerns about instability within the ADC alliance, though his media office later denied the interview.
His former campaign spokesman, Yunusa Tanko, urged the coalition to grant Obi more time, saying he must complete wide consultations before announcing his next steps.
Also read: Labour Party condemns Benjamin Kalu’s attack on Governor Otti
As both parties set out their positions, uncertainty continues to surround where the former presidential candidate will anchor his 2027 ambition.
