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The Labour Party (LP) has stated that its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would be unable to contest the 2027 general election under its platform due to statutory membership deadlines.
The party’s interim national chairman, Nenadi Usman, disclosed this during an interview on Arise TV, citing provisions of the Electoral Act that regulate party registers and candidate eligibility.
Ejes Gist News reports that the position hinges on the requirement that party membership lists be finalised and submitted ahead of primaries.
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Usman said the LP would close its membership register 21 days before its primary elections and transmit the electronic register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after which no new entrant would be eligible to participate.
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“Once we close the register 21 days before primaries and submit it to INEC, you cannot come from behind to register and contest. That would be legally impossible,” she said.
Obi, who drove the party’s electoral surge in 2023, has not formally rejoined the LP following internal disputes that fractured its leadership structure. Usman acknowledged his influence in building the party, noting that he persuaded several political actors, including herself, to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the last election cycle.
She linked her defection to disagreements over zoning arrangements within the PDP, arguing that the party failed to rotate its presidential ticket to the southern region, a decision she described as inequitable.
Prolonged Leadership Crisis and Court Rulings
The Labour Party has remained embroiled in a leadership crisis since the 2023 elections, with competing factions laying claim to the national chairmanship.
The dispute initially involved Usman’s caretaker committee and the camp of former chairman Julius Abure. Judicial interventions have since reshaped the leadership structure:
- The Supreme Court ruled in April 2025 that Abure’s tenure had expired.
- A Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently removed him from office.
- The Court of Appeal later affirmed Usman as interim chairman and directed INEC to recognise her leadership pending a national convention.
Despite these rulings, Abure has indicated plans to approach the Supreme Court, prolonging uncertainty within the party.
Political Consequences for the Labour Party
The internal conflict has had measurable political effects on the LP’s structure and electoral standing:
- Defections of key members across several states
- Reduced representation in the National Assembly
- Weakening of grassroots mobilisation networks
Party officials have linked these developments to organisational instability and unresolved leadership disputes.
Usman confirmed that the Labour Party has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region and commenced a nationwide membership revalidation exercise. The process is expected to determine the party’s final register ahead of primaries and compliance with INEC regulations.
The clarification on eligibility timelines introduces a legal dimension to ongoing discussions about Obi’s political future and the configuration of opposition forces ahead of the next general election cycle.
