By John Audu
The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party (LP) has expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, once again vying for the presidency on the party’s platform in 2027.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, conveyed this sentiment in an interview on Sunday, following Obi’s weekend declaration of his intention to pursue his 2027 presidential ambition under the LP banner.
Obi’s declaration comes amidst an ongoing factional crisis within the Labour Party, where he, alongside Abia State Governor Alex Otti, is understood to be backing Nenadi Usman in a bid to unseat the current leadership led by Abure. Despite a recent Supreme Court judgment that did not definitively resolve the leadership tussle, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affirmed candidates put forward by the Abure camp for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election.
Responding to inquiries about Abure’s reaction to Obi’s announcement, Ifoh stated, “We are excited about the news. If we have waited all this while for two years with all the things that happened, we can still wait for tomorrow and the next, for the whole thing to crystallize. Then we can now begin to talk about the way forward.”
Ifoh emphasized the party’s alignment with Obi’s vision, noting, “Politics is all about interest. The interest of every Nigerian, including the Labour Party, is to have a government that can help Nigerians come out of the doldrums and not enter into more crises, whether political, social or economic.” He added that in 2023, “we gave Peter Obi the ticket and he didn’t disappoint. Rather, the system disappointed them.”
While formal communication between Obi and Abure has been limited due to the internal party conflict, Ifoh confirmed that “the line of communication is not completely blocked.”
He suggested that discussions, though not formal, occur frequently. He also hinted at potential rapprochement ahead of the Anambra State governorship election, where Obi, as a native of the state, is expected to play a crucial role for the party.
“If he so wishes, as he said, that he will run the next election under the Labour Party, I think it’s a good thing for us in the party. It’s a win-win situation for everyone and we wait to see how we act the talk,” Ifoh stated.
Obi’s declaration has reportedly sent ripples through the opposition coalition championed by figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. When contacted for comment, Babachir Lawal, a key stakeholder in that coalition and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed surprise at Obi’s statement, stating, “I don’t know what is in his mind. You need to ask Obi himself when you see him. I just read it today too that he will be contesting in LP.”
Addressing supporters in a viral video on Saturday, Obi affirmed his commitment to the Labour Party for his 2027 presidential bid. He also attributed the crises within Nigerian political parties to the government, alleging deliberate actions to create such problems.
“What is happening in the Labour Party and the PDP is caused by the government, quote me anywhere,” Obi asserted. He drew a contrast with a past experience under the Yar’Adua administration where, he claimed, the President intervened to resolve a party crisis, leading to a swift resolution.
“But today, in all the parties, there are problems; these are deliberate problems caused by the system. These are some of the things I want to clean up if I have the opportunity.”
Obi further charged Nigerians to ensure their votes count and appealed to youth and the electorate not to be discouraged by resistance to positive change. He also advocated for a retirement age for politicians seeking public office, noting that he would be 65 by the 2027 election and would not wish to be contesting in his 70s.
