The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has announced that all tickets for the 2027 general election are open to all qualified Nigerians.
The fraction made the statement after a national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday.
The faction said the party’s presidential and governorship tickets are not reserved for any individuals, contrary to earlier reports.
This development comes after some Labour Party leaders, including Obi and Otti, as well as some elected Senators and House of Representatives members, met in Umuahia, Abia State, last week to form a 29-man caretaker committee to lead the party in the interim.
The Committee, which is to be chaired by former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, will midwife an election of new leadership in 90 days.
However, in a communiqué signed by Abure, and National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, the NEC nullified the decision taken at the stakeholders meeting convened by Otti in Umuahia.
The Julius Abure-led faction also claimed Otti lacked the authority to call such a meeting, citing Article 14 (4) (B) of the party’s constitution.
The communiqué read, “NEC in session also reviewed the decision of the National Convention to reserve its Presidential and Governorship tickets for Peter Gregory Obi and Alex Otti respectively,
“Consequently, all tickets of the party from Presidency to the House of assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians.
“The NEC in session noted that the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Alex Otti, who convened the meeting, did not have the power within the Party’s Constitution as provided in Article 14 (4) (B) gives power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman,” it reads.
“NEC in session further reiterates that the Governor of Abia State does not even have the power to call his Ward Executive meeting without the approval and the consent of his Ward Chairman.
“The meeting contravenes the provisions of Section 82 (1) (2) (a) of the Electoral Act 2022 which provides as follows; 82 (1) Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this act.”
