Labour Party Rejects Zoning of 2027 Presidential Ticket, Dismisses Igbo Presidency Claims
The Labour Party (LP) has firmly denied zoning its 2027 presidential ticket to any region, refuting claims that the South-East will receive automatic backing. This clarification directly counters recent statements by the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, suggesting the South-East remains central to the party’s political agenda.
At a recent South-East LP rally in Abuja, Abure had reiterated the party’s support for the region’s political aspirations, citing its decision to back the South-East in the 2023 elections as part of a broader commitment to addressing historical grievances. “I have no regrets that, despite all odds, we zoned our presidential ticket to the South-East. We chose to wipe the tears of the Igbo, and we did so powerfully in the 2023 election,” he stated.
However, in a decisive rebuttal, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, declared that no zoning arrangement exists for the 2027 elections. “The Labour Party has not and will not zone any position to any geographical region or individual,” Ifoh asserted. He emphasized that the party’s presidential candidate will emerge through a transparent and democratic process in accordance with the LP’s constitution.
The party’s position signals a strategic shift aimed at broadening its national appeal and avoiding alienation of key regions like the North and South-West. Political analysts interpret the move as a calculated effort to strengthen the LP’s presence across Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, the party faces internal dissent over Abure’s regional rhetoric. Former LP National Treasurer Oluchi Oparah has criticized his ethnic-leaning remarks, insisting that leadership should be based on competence and merit rather than tribal considerations.
In a separate development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faces internal chaos following the suspension of its Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, by the Abia State Working Committee (SWC). The state chapter accuses Wabara of anti-party activities after he publicly praised Abia State Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party.
Despite the suspension, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) swiftly nullified the decision, deepening the rift between the state and national leadership.
At an 80th birthday celebration in Umuahia, Wabara doubled down on his stance, openly commending Governor Otti’s leadership. “Politics ends after elections; governance must take priority. Even a blind man can see the positive changes happening in Abia,” he declared defiantly.
Unmoved by threats of expulsion, Wabara emphasized his loyalty to Abia State above party affiliations. “Let them suspend or expel me—I am first a citizen of Abia before being a PDP member,” he said, criticizing party leaders for their punitive approach.
Wabara stopped short of endorsing the Labour Party but insisted his praise was rooted in Otti’s performance. His comments underscore growing discontent within the PDP as the party grapples with internal divisions and external competition ahead of future elections.
The ongoing power struggle raises questions about the PDP’s stability in Abia and whether it can maintain cohesion as political allegiances shift in the lead-up to 2027.
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