The Nigeria Labour Congress and the faction of the Labour Party loyal to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, have warned the Julius Abure–led leadership against fielding any presidential candidate for the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Both groups issued the warning in separate interviews with The PUNCH, amid renewed controversy triggered by comments attributed to the party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, suggesting interest in the 2027 presidency.
Although Baba-Ahmed later denied making a formal declaration, the episode has further exposed the deepening internal crisis within the Labour Party, coming barely weeks after its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, defected to the African Democratic Congress.
The factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Nenadi Usman, said the Labour Party had not opened its political process for the 2027 elections and cautioned against premature declarations or actions.
Usman conveyed the position in an exclusive interview through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, stressing that any decision on candidacy must follow due process.
According to him, while the party remains committed to producing a credible presidential candidate in 2027, it must strictly adhere to party rules and the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“When the appropriate time comes, the Labour Party will, in strict compliance with its constitution and established guidelines, address issues of candidacy in a transparent, fair, and orderly manner,” he said.
“The Labour Party notes that INEC has not yet released the timetable for the next general elections, nor lifted the embargo on electioneering campaigns.”
In a related reaction, the Labour Party Board of Trustees constituted by the NLC condemned Baba-Ahmed’s perceived association with the Abure-led National Working Committee and any attempt to pursue a presidential ambition through it.
A trade union veteran and BoT member, Mr Lawson Osagie, expressed strong reservations in an interview with The PUNCH.
“The tenure of Abure has expired. So I don’t know the Labour Party that Datti is nursing to run his presidential ambition,” he said.
“If you look at the press release INEC issued some days ago, you will understand that the commission does not recognise the Abure leadership. INEC also acknowledged that there has been a leadership vacuum since 2024, just as the Supreme Court judgment states that Abure’s tenure has expired.”
Osagie said while Baba-Ahmed was entitled to personal ambition, he questioned his standing within the party.
“To me, Datti is a meddlesome interloper. He has no honour and integrity and, to date, belongs to no organ of the party. He was just fortunate to contest with Obi in 2023, yet he didn’t win,” he said.
“So whatever he is saying amounts to self-aggrandisement. He is just a mole in the party. We don’t want characters like him in our party.”
Both the NLC-aligned BoT and the Otti-backed factional leadership raised concerns over Baba-Ahmed’s continued engagement with the Abure-led NWC, which they insist lacks legitimacy.
The pushback followed Baba-Ahmed’s appearance at a rally at the Labour Party national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, where he was widely reported to have hinted at a 2027 presidential ambition, sparking debate over leadership succession and the party’s future direction.
At the rally, Baba-Ahmed dismissed claims that his political plans were tied to Obi’s defection, recalling that he had contested the Peoples Democratic Party presidential primaries in 2018 and had sought Obi’s support at the time.
He also acknowledged that the formal process for the 2027 elections had not commenced and pledged to comply with party and electoral guidelines.
However, on Friday, the founder and Chancellor of Baze University denied declaring interest in the presidency.
Speaking on Channels Television, Baba-Ahmed said, “I never declared to contest the presidency two days ago.”
He explained that his remarks were misconstrued and were meant only to reaffirm his membership of the Labour Party.
“What I did was simply say that I remain in the Labour Party. I never declared to contest the presidency, even though there could be a possibility of that happening,” he said.
“I reiterated my membership of the Labour Party, and that is all.”
He added that any ambition must await the release of INEC’s timetable and the party’s call for expressions of interest, blaming social media for amplifying misinformation and urging the mainstream media to uphold professional standards.
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