By Adesakin Adefemi
Abia State Governor Alex Otti says the Labour Party was not part of the opposition summit held in Ibadan on Saturday and will not be bound by its resolutions, insisting the party will field its own presidential candidate in 2027.
Speaking Thursday in Abuja after a meeting of the LP National Working Committee chaired by Nenadi Usman, Otti stated clearly that the party had no representation at the gathering of opposition leaders in Oyo State. “Unfortunately, we were not part of the summit. We did not attend,” he said.
The Ibadan meeting brought together the African Democratic Congress led by David Mark, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, and the New Nigeria People’s Party. The groups announced plans to present a single presidential candidate to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the next general election.
Otti said the Labour Party remains independent and will run its own process to select flagbearers. “We are a political party. So if you are a party member and want to run, we will give you a ticket,” he told reporters after the NWC session.
The governor also addressed internal party disputes, saying the LP is now in a reconciliation phase. He noted that over 25 state chairmen attended the recent convention, many of whom were previously aligned with former national chairman Julius Abure.
“It is part of the charge that we gave the national working committee to reconcile and bring back as many people as possible, and that it is happening,” Otti said. He added that the party declared “no winners and no vanquished” after its leadership transition.
Otti extended an olive branch to Abure and other aggrieved members, saying the doors of the party remain open. “We are keeping our doors open, even for Abure to return to the party that he had worked for. The disagreement is over,” he stated.
He expressed confidence in the Nenadi Usman-led NWC, saying the current leadership has the mandate to steer the party for the next four years and prepare it for upcoming elections at all levels.
The governor dismissed speculation that the Labour Party plans to merge or collapse its structure into another platform, including the APC. He said the LP intends to strengthen its own identity and compete on its own terms in 2027.
With political realignments already underway nationwide, Otti’s comments signal that the LP will not join the emerging opposition coalition from Ibadan and will instead pursue a separate path to the presidency.
