LP’s presidency, gov tickets no longer reserved for Peter Obi, Otti — Abure

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has announced that all tickets for the 2027 general election are open to all qualified Nigerians.

The faction made the statement after a national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday.

The faction said the party’s presidential and governorship tickets are not reserved for any individuals, contrary to earlier reports.

This development follows a meeting last week in Umuahia, Abia State, where some Labour Party leaders, including Obi and Otti, as well as some elected Senators and House of Representatives members, formed a 29-man caretaker committee to lead the party in the interim.

The committee, to be chaired by former Minister of Finance Nenadi Usman, will oversee the election of new leadership within 90 days.

However, in a communiqué signed by Abure and National Secretary Umar Ibrahim, the NEC nullified the decision taken at the stakeholders’ meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia.

The Julius Abure-led faction also claimed Otti lacked the authority to call such a meeting, citing Article 14 (4) (B) of the party’s constitution.

The communiqué read, “NEC in session also reviewed the decision of the National Convention to reserve its presidential and governorship tickets for Peter Gregory Obi and Alex Otti respectively.

“Consequently, all tickets of the party from presidency to the House of Assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians.

“The NEC in session noted that the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Alex Otti, who convened the meeting, did not have the power within the party’s constitution, as provided in Article 14 (4) (B), which grants power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.

“NEC in session further reiterates that the Governor of Abia State does not even have the power to call his Ward Executive meeting without the approval and consent of his Ward Chairman.

“The meeting contravenes the provisions of Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides as follows: 82 (1) Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies, or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.”