Labour Congress, Otti‑Aligned Labour Party Faction Warn Abure Against Fielding 2027 Candidates
Tensions within the Labour Party (LP) have intensified ahead of the 2027 general election, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and a faction of the LP aligned with Abia State Governor Alex Otti have cautioned the Julius Abure‑led leadership against moving to field presidential or other electoral candidates prematurely.
The warning follows comments attributed to Senator Datti Baba‑Ahmed, the party’s 2023 vice‑presidential candidate, that were widely interpreted as signalling interest in the 2027 presidential race. Although Baba‑Ahmed later clarified that he had not formally declared a bid, the episode has highlighted internal divisions over how and when the party should approach its candidate selection process.
Speaking through her media aide, Senator Nenadi Usman, the factional National Chairman emphasised that the party has not yet initiated its 2027 electoral process and urged members to adhere to party rules and timelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before making any candidacy moves. She insisted that decisions on who runs under the party’s banner must be handled in an orderly and constitutionally compliant manner.
In a separate reaction, members of the LP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), aligned with the NLC, criticised Baba‑Ahmed’s engagement with the Abure‑led National Working Committee, which they argue lacks legitimacy because Abure’s tenure as party leader has expired and is not recognised by INEC. BoT member Lawson Osagie described any attempt by the current Abure faction to advance presidential ambitions as anti‑party and illegitimate, asserting that candidates must arise from valid party structures.
The controversy comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis in the Labour Party — a situation exacerbated by the defection of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress. With the party struggling to reconcile competing factions, the latest public disagreements underscore the challenge of presenting a united front ahead of the next elections.