Labour Party chairman Nenadi Usman has said it may be too late for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return and contest under the party’s platform ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Usman explained that the party’s electoral timetable and internal procedures would not allow fresh entries once voter and candidate registers are closed ahead of primaries. She said the Labour Party must submit its electronic register to INEC within the stipulated deadline, after which no new candidate can be added.
Usman, however, acknowledged Obi’s major influence on the party’s growth during the last election cycle, noting that he played a key role in attracting many members to the Labour Party. She admitted that his popularity helped reshape the party’s national profile.
She also explained that her own decision to join the Labour Party was driven by dissatisfaction with the zoning arrangement within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which she believed was unfair at the time.
On the party’s future, Usman said the Labour Party is refocusing on its founding principles of social justice, equity, and equal opportunity. She pointed to Abia State Governor Alex Otti as an example of the party’s ideological direction, describing him as a leading figure in implementing its vision.
She further encouraged politically engaged Nigerians, including activists and labour leaders, to participate directly in elections rather than remain outside the system, arguing that meaningful change requires involvement in the political process.
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