The Labour Party’s (LP) strategy for the 2027 general elections, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Julius Abure and Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim, has officially endorsed Peter Obi as the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming election.
The decision also sees the endorsement of Governor Alex Otti as the Labour Party’s candidate in Abia State, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as the Lagos State candidate, highlighting the party’s commitment to securing critical gubernatorial wins
The announcement comes amidst growing tensions between the LP leadership and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), particularly its Deputy President, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, and the NLC President, Joe Ajaero. In a scathing press statement issued on February 5, 2025, the LP NWC accused Ndubuaku and Ajaero of spreading malicious and false statements, which the party claims threaten the peace and unity of the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the LP, Ndubuaku and his allies within the NLC are using their position to attack the integrity of Julius Abure, accusing the LP National Chairman of alleged wrongdoings without presenting credible evidence.
The party also expressed concerns over what it describes as an “unrelenting campaign of misinformation,” with Ndubuaku’s press releases serving as a tool to undermine both Abure’s leadership and the country’s judiciary, as well as the credibility of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, the LP National Publicity Secretary, pointed to the alleged efforts of the NLC in 2023 to disrupt LP’s gubernatorial campaigns
Arabambi listed several states, including Lagos, Imo, Nasarawa, Cross River, Ogun, Oyo, Enugu, Rivers, and Plateau, where the NLC is accused of supporting candidates from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), undermining LP’s electoral prospects.
In response to these allegations, Arabambi reaffirmed the party’s focus on removing the APC from power through democratic means, with Peter Obi as the front-runner for the presidency in 2027.
“Our major focus is getting the APC out of office only through the ballot box if Nigerians so desire, and not through illegitimate means,” Arabambi declared.
He continued by emphasizing that Peter Obi would once again represent the LP in the 2027 presidential race, while highlighting the party’s determination to support Governor Otti’s re-election bid in Abia and Rhodes-Vivour’s gubernatorial campaign in Lagos.
“We are united in our resolve to bring about a better Nigeria under the leadership of Peter Obi,” Arabambi added.
In what is being described as a bitter internal struggle, Arabambi decried the NLC’s shift away from its core responsibility of defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers.
Instead, he accused the NLC leadership of engaging in divisive and undemocratic tactics aimed at sowing discord within the LP ranks.
Arabambi claimed that Ajaero and Ndubuaku were pursuing personal agendas, exploiting the NLC’s power for authoritarian ends, particularly in their treatment of Abure.
Arabambi’s statement further questioned the motivations behind Ndubuaku’s accusations against Abure, claiming that the LP National Chairman has been exonerated from any wrongdoing in previous investigations.
He challenged the NLC leadership to produce credible evidence of any crimes committed by Abure, noting that recent rulings from the Court of Appeal had affirmed Abure’s legitimacy as the LP National Chairman.
The LP also responded to the suggestion that the party was somehow aligned with the APC, calling such claims “gibberish” and “toxic drivel.”
Arabambi attributed these accusations to bitterness over the NLC’s defeat in a court battle regarding the legitimacy of the LP leadership, which saw Abure and Ibrahim reaffirmed as the party’s rightful leaders.
The Labour Party also expressed concerns over the actions of the NLC, which, according to the party, has repeatedly disrupted the country’s power supply.
Arabambi recalled how the NLC allegedly switched off the national grid during previous industrial actions, causing significant economic disruptions, and called for accountability for these actions, particularly from Ajaero and Ndubuaku.
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