Labour Party (LP) has announced May 23, 2026, as the date for its presidential primary ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the approval of a comprehensive electoral timetable by its National Executive Council (NEC).

The decision was reached at a statutory NEC meeting held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines.

Senior Special Adviser (Media) to the Interim National Chairman, Ken Eluma Asogwa, in a statement yesterday, said the party would submit its membership register to INEC on April 15, 2026, while primaries for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly are scheduled for May 15, 2026.

According to the statement, NEC also ratified the schedule for its internal congresses, with ward congresses slated for March 26, local government congresses on March 28, and state congresses on March 31. The party’s national convention is expected to hold on April 11, 2026.

At the meeting, the council reviewed recent developments within the party, including what it described as the “unfortunate invasion” of its national secretariat by suspected hoodlums allegedly linked to some aggrieved members.

Following recommendations by the Peace, Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Salisu Mohammed, NEC invoked its disciplinary powers and approved the suspension of 26 members over alleged anti-party activities, indiscipline, and complicity in the disruption.

IN a similar vein, a former House of Representatives candidate for Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State on the LP platform, Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, has formally declared his intention to contest for the position of national chairman, with a promise to restore sanity to the party and make it more functional.

In a statement yesterday in Abakaliki, Ezeh further pledged to reposition the party as an inclusive, ideology-driven platform that caters to the aspirations of all Nigerians, saying his decision was driven by a “deep sense of responsibility” and a commitment to the party’s growth.

He acknowledged that the final decision on zoning of the position rests with the party’s leadership, noting that his aspiration remains subject to the outcome of consultations within the NEC and other relevant organs.

Ezeh said his mission is to rebuild the LP into a modern, dynamic, and inclusive political institution capable of attracting a broad spectrum of Nigerians, including entrepreneurs, professionals, business leaders, and the working class.