2027: Labour Party withdraws automatic ticket for Peter Obi, Otti

The Julius Abure-led Labour Party has rescinded its decision to grant automatic tickets to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for the 2027 election.

This decision was announced in a resolution following the Abure faction’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Monday in Abuja.

The party has now opened up all its tickets—from the presidency to the House of Assemblies—to all eligible Nigerians.

This development follows a recent meeting in Umuahia, Abia State, where Labour Party leaders, including Obi, Otti, and several elected Senators and House of Representatives members, appointed a 29-man caretaker committee to lead the party temporarily.

The committee, chaired by former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman, is tasked with overseeing the election of new leadership within 90 days.

In a communique signed by Abure and National Secretary Umar Ibrahim, the NEC has annulled the decision made at the stakeholders meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia.

The Abure-led NEC maintained that there was no vacuum in the leadership of the party after “conducting its National Convention in line with its constitution, the Electoral Act and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 27, 2024, at Nnewi Anambra State.”

It consequently called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, “to stop aiding and abetting the Governor of Abia State Alex Otti to further cause damage to the party.

“NEC in session also note that His Excellency Alex Otti have constantly quoted the INEC Chairman as saying that the tenure of the officers of the party has expired, which His Excellency Alex Otti said has necessitated his calling of the meeting and setting up a Caretaker Committee.

“On the basis of the foregoing therefore, NEC in session hereby call on all teeming members, supporters and members of the general public to kindly disregard the so-called meeting and its outcome.”

The NEC also reaffirmed its confidence in the leadership of the Abure-led National Working Committee and urged all party members to continue respecting and following the party’s lawful directives.

Additionally, the NEC delegated its authority to fill vacant positions within the NWC and approved the scheduling of State, Local Government, and Ward Congresses as determined by the National Working Committee, in accordance with the party’s constitution and relevant laws.

“NEC In session also approved the composition of the diciplinary committee as provided in Constitution.

“NEC in session also approved the review of some disciplinary actions taken against some members in the spirit of reconciliation.”