Labour Party chairman Nenadi Usman says Peter Obi cannot contest the 2027 election on the party’s platform due to Electoral Act membership rules.
The interim national chairman of the Labour Party, Nenadi Usman, has stated that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, cannot contest the 2027 election on its platform due to legal restrictions. She cited provisions of the Electoral Act requiring closure of party registers ahead of primaries.
Usman said, “Well it will be too late actually for him to come back because if you look at the act now, at some point we close the register. Once we close the register 21 days before primaries… that would be impossible, legally impossible anyway.” She noted Obi’s influence in mobilising support for the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
The party has faced a prolonged leadership crisis, with court rulings affirming Usman’s leadership over a rival faction. The dispute has led to defections and weakened structures, while Obi reportedly exited amid the turmoil. The party has since begun membership revalidation and zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the south.