The Labour Party has said its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, may be unable to contest the 2027 election on its platform due to legal and procedural constraints tied to party membership timelines.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, the party’s interim national chairman, Nenadi Usman, explained that the Electoral Act mandates political parties to submit their membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of primaries, effectively setting a deadline for eligibility.
According to her, once the party closes its register, typically 21 days before primaries, no new members can be added, making late entry into the race “legally impossible.”
Usman acknowledged Obi’s pivotal role in the party’s rise ahead of the 2023 elections, noting that he attracted a wave of supporters and defectors, including herself, from the Peoples Democratic Party. She said her decision at the time was driven by concerns over fairness and zoning, particularly the PDP’s failure to zone its presidential ticket to the South.
The development comes amid a lingering leadership crisis within the Labour Party, which has significantly weakened its structure since the 2023 elections. The dispute, which centres on control of the party, has pitched Usman’s caretaker committee against supporters of former chairman Julius Abure.
A series of court rulings has reshaped the party’s leadership. The Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled in April 2025 that Abure’s tenure had expired, while both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal Nigeria have affirmed Usman’s position as interim chairman, directing INEC to recognise her leadership pending a national convention. However, Abure has indicated plans to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court.
The internal crisis has triggered defections, reduced the party’s legislative presence, and weakened its grassroots network. Obi himself has previously cited the instability as a factor in distancing from the party.
Despite the turmoil, Usman’s leadership has commenced a membership revalidation exercise and announced that the party’s 2027 presidential ticket will be zoned to the South, a move that could shape future alignments within the party.
