- The Julius Abure-led Labour Party faction denies automatic tickets for Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti in upcoming elections
- Deputy National Secretary Innocent Okeke emphasizes that all party tickets are open to qualified Nigerians, countering Otti’s recent actions
The Julius Abure-led Labour Party (LP) faction has announced that there will be no automatic ticket for Mr. Peter Obi or Governor Alex Otti of Abia in the 2027 presidential and governorship elections. Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, previously defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The announcement was made by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Abure-led faction during a press briefing in Abuja. The Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Innocent Okeke, stated, “All party tickets from the Presidency to the House of Assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians.”
The decision comes after Governor Otti convened a stakeholder meeting in Umuahia, Abia, where the party’s National Working Committee, National Executive Council, State Council, Local Government, and Ward Executives were dissolved and replaced with a Caretaker Committee. Okeke countered this, stating that Otti lacked the authority to make such changes as per Article 14 (4) (B) of the party’s Constitution, which vests such power in the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.
Okeke further emphasized that the party’s constitution outlines the procedure for removing members of the National Working Committee, State Executive Committee, and other officials. He called on party members, supporters, and the general public to disregard the outcome of Otti’s meeting.
Julius Abure, the embattled National Chairman, described Otti’s actions as a betrayal of the party’s values. He stated, “This action was not just illegal; it was a betrayal of everything the Labour Party stands for. The Labour Party has always been a beacon of hope for the oppressed, the marginalised, and the voiceless in Nigeria. Our mandate is to unite this country, not divide it.”
Abure added that individuals who had benefited from the party’s support were now working to destabilize it from within. Still, he remained hopeful for the future, saying, “The beautiful ones are not yet born in Nigeria, but they will be born through our collective effort.”