Abuja, Nigeria — Julius Abure, the embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party, has made significant announcements regarding the party’s ticket policies and criticized recent actions by party members in a press briefing following a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
In a pivotal shift, Abure declared that the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 election is no longer reserved for Peter Obi. Instead, the ticket is now open to all eligible party members. This decision marks a substantial change from earlier policies that had set aside the presidential and governorship tickets for Obi and Alex Otti, respectively.
The NEC reviewed and reversed these prior decisions, opening all party tickets, including those for the House of Assemblies and the Presidency, to any qualified Nigerian.
Abure also addressed the governorship ticket for Abia State, stating unequivocally that Alex Otti will not automatically receive a second-term ticket. The governorship seat is now open to other aspirants, reaffirming the party’s commitment to a competitive and inclusive nomination process.
The chairman took a firm stance against recent actions by Governor Alex Otti, who had convened a stakeholders’ meeting and formed a caretaker committee, allegedly without proper authority. Abure emphasized that Otti’s actions violated both the Labour Party’s constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, which requires a 21-day notice for any conventions or meetings concerning party leadership and nominations.
The Labour Party chairman condemned a recent assembly in Abia State, led by Peter Obi and Alex Otti, as an attempt to create discord within the party. He labeled the gathering as both illegal and a betrayal of the party’s core values, accusing the organizers of undermining the party’s principles and leadership.
