Labour Party says its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, is confused about his intentions ahead of the 2027 polls.
LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, on Monday, said reports ‘celebrating’ Obi’s declaration to run on the platform of the party in 2027 was not true.
Recently, when asked by his supporters about his participation in the proposed coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, Obi declared that he would contest the 2027 general elections on the platform of the LP.
“I will still continue to run in the Labour Party. I’m a member of the Labour Party,” Obi had said.
But the LP said that the impression conveyed by the news on celebrating Obi’s declaration was erroneous, inaccurate and did not in any way reflect the position and mood in the party.
Ifoh’s statement read, “First, while we are not opposed to anybody running under the platform of the Labour Party in the 2027 general elections, we need to make it categorically clear that the party has a long standing rule on how its candidates shall emerge and automatic ticket is not one of the routes.
“Recall that at the party’s National Convention in 2024, the party had erroneously granted automatic tickets to our former presidential candidate and the only governor of the party. However, that decision has since been rescinded and reversed after consulting the statute books.
“Second, His Excellency, Peter Obi, hours after he spoke of his intention to run under the Labour Party, was on Sunday seen in a meeting of a pro-coalition group in Abuja without the permission and consent of the Labour Party leadership.
“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.”
According to him, LP has consistently said it will not go into any coalition or merger of any sort ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It described Obi’s continued association with the coalition as not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party.
He added, “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.
“We are therefore by this statement letting Nigerians know that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wants to run on the platform of the party.”
