The Labour Party (LP) has denounced reports that it has reserved its 2027 presidential ticket for its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The party stated that earlier reports that the ticket has been exclusively reserved for Obi are malicious and misleading.
The position was made known in a statement on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, who argued that the reports on the ticket reservation credited to him were inaccurate.
Ifoh explained that anyone interested in contesting the 2027 election on the Labour Party’s platform must go through the normal processes.
He said, “I want to state emphatically that I was quoted out of context and therefore, the impression conveyed by the news was erroneous, inaccurate and does not in any way reflect the position and mood in the party.
“First, while we are not opposed to anybody running under the platform of the Labour Party in the 2027 general election, 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.”
The statement added that a past decision in the LP 2024 National Convention, where automatic tickets were erroneously granted to Obi and its only governor, has since been overturned.
“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tickets to our former Presidential candidate and the only governor of the party, however, that decision has since been rescinded and reversed after consulting the statute books,” he added.
Obi’s Romance With Coalition Confusing
Ifoh also added that Obi’s ongoing alliance with the coalition movement is at variance with the position of the Labour Party.
He said the party did not authorize any coalition move, and the former Anambra State Governor shouldn’t be frolicking with the coalition if he is truly serious about contesting the 2027 presidency on the platform of the Labour Party.
“Second, His Excellency, Peter Obi, hours after he spoke of his intention to run under the Labour Party, was on Sunday (yesterday) 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.
“We have consistently said that Labour Party will not go into any coalition or merger of any sort ahead of 2027 general election, therefore Obi’s continued association with the coalition is not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party. 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,” he added.
The statement concluded by saying all aspirants are welcome on the party’s platform and they would all be subjected to the normal processes and procedure.
“We are therefore by this statement letting Nigerians know that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wants to run under the platform of the party,” it added.