The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has said that Peter Obi, its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, appears uncertain about his political direction ahead of the 2027 polls.
This was made known in a statement issued on Monday by the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh. The statement aimed to set the record straight regarding recent media reports claiming that the party was celebrating Obi’s supposed declaration to contest again in 2027 under its platform.
The clarification comes after a video surfaced over the weekend in which Peter Obi, speaking to a group of young supporters, stated, “I will still continue to run in the Labour Party. I’m a member of the Labour Party.” His comment was widely interpreted as a formal declaration of his 2027 ambition on the LP platform.
However, the Labour Party’s leadership says this interpretation is inaccurate and does not represent the party’s official position. According to Abure, the party is not opposed to any member contesting the presidency but insists that every aspirant must follow the laid-down internal processes. He noted that “automatic ticket is not one of the routes.”
Abure further reminded the public that the party had once mistakenly offered automatic tickets to Obi and the party’s only sitting governor in 2024. That decision, he said, was later reversed after proper review of the party’s constitutional guidelines.
He also pointed out that shortly after making comments about running under the LP, Obi was seen attending a meeting organized by a pro-coalition group in Abuja. This, Abure said, happened without the approval or involvement of the Labour Party, raising further doubts about Obi’s political direction.
“This to us is really confusing and we think that Peter Obi has not come to terms with his intentions for the 2027 presidential race,” the statement noted.
The party has also expressed discomfort with Obi’s ongoing interactions with groups that appear to be working toward forming a political coalition, stressing that LP has no interest in joining any such alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It is also an affront to the party leadership and we view his position as a total disregard to the party’s right to make decision bidding its affairs,” Ifoh added.
He concluded by stating that the Labour Party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections remains open to all qualified aspirants, and no one, including Peter Obi, has been granted special privileges or endorsements so far.
