The Labour Party’s National Working Committee, led by Julius Abure, says it is enthused about the idea of Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, running again on the party’s platform in 2027.
Obiora Ifoh, the LP National Publicity Secretary, said this in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.
He spoke in light of Obi’s announcement over the weekend that he intended to run for president in 2027 on the LP platform.
The LP is currently factionalised, with Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti supporting Nenadi Usman’s bid to remove Abure as party leader.
A recent Supreme Court decision on the party’s leadership dispute did little to explain or address the issue of who the actual leader is.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission approved the candidate proposed by the Abure camp for the 2019 Anambra State governorship election.
Despite the leadership crisis, Obi indicated that he will remain in the LP and run for president on the party’s platform in 2027.
Speaking on Abure’s reaction to Obi’s declaration, Ifoh said, “We are excited about the news. If we have waited all this while for two years with all the things that happened, we can still wait for tomorrow and the next for the whole thing to crystallise. Then we can now begin to talk about the way forward.
“Let me start by saying politics is all about interest. The interest of every Nigerian, including the Labour Party, is to have a government that can help Nigerians come out of the doldrums and not enter into more crises, whether political, social or economic.
“I believe there are so many Nigerians who have that capacity and who can also help Nigeria come out. In 2023, we gave Peter Obi the ticket, and he didn’t disappoint. Rather, the system disappointed them.”
Speaking on if Obi had reached out to Abure, Ifoh said the channel of communication between the duo was open.
According to him, the former Anambra governor still frequently has discussions with Abure despite the cold war between both parties.
“Well, as I said elsewhere, the line of communication is not completely blocked. There are talks, though not formal. But before the 2027 poll, don’t forget that we have Anambra elections a few months from now.
“Obi is from Anambra, and we expect him to play a key role in making sure that the Labour Party wins the state.
So, there has been rapprochement here and there. I think at the right time, the parties will meet and thrash out all the differences. From there, we’ll move on.
“If he so wishes, as he said, that he will run the next election under the Labour Party, I think it’s a good thing for us in the party. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, and we wait to see how we act the talk,” he added.
Obi’s remark, however, appears to be having an impact on the opposition alliance led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
When asked for his reply, Babachir Lawal, a key coalition player and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed surprise at Obi’s statement.
“I don’t know what is in his mind. You need to ask Obi himself when you see him. I just read it today too that he will be contesting in LP,” he stated.
The news comes after Obi assured his fans that he will run for president of the Labour Party in the 2027 election.
Obi revealed this in a viral video circulating on social media on Saturday, when he addressed some of his followers.
Speaking on which party he intends to contest in the 2027 elections, Obi said, “I will still continue to run in the Labour Party. I’m a member of the Labour Party.”
Obi also blamed the crisis in political parties on the Nigerian government.
He said, “What is happening in the Labour Party and the PDP is caused by the government; quote me anywhere.
“We had a problem in our party before, in the past. Yar’Adua was the president. I went to him then; he called the INEC chairman (Prof. Maurice Iwu) and told him I don’t want any problem in any party. We were forced to fix it.
“But today, in all the parties, there are problems; these are deliberate problems caused by the system. These are some of the things I want to clean up if I have the opportunity.
“Parties will function very well because you can’t have a system working without a strong opposition.”
Obi urged Nigerians to take responsibility for ensuring that their votes are counted, noting that even if political parties pay agents to look after their interests, voters ultimately decide whether or not their votes count.
The former governor also urged Nigerian youngsters and the electorate not to be discouraged since beneficial change will be opposed by those who benefit from the old order.
The former presidential contender also proposed a retirement age for lawmakers pursuing public office.
Obi stated that he will be 65 years old when the 2027 election takes place and that he does not want to run for office in his 70s.
