Alex Otti Says Labour Party Will Field Presidential Candidate In 2027

Alex Otti says Labour Party rejects coalition deal and confirms it will present its own presidential candidate in 2027.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said the Labour Party was not part of the opposition coalition meeting held in Ibadan and will field its own presidential candidate in 2027.

Opposition figures had met in Ibadan, Oyo State, under the All Opposition Political Party Leaders platform. The meeting included the African Democratic Congress, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, and the New Nigeria People’s Party. They agreed to present a single presidential candidate for the next general election.

Speaking in Abuja after a National Working Committee meeting chaired by Nenadi Usman, Otti said the Labour Party did not take part in the Ibadan talks.

“Unfortunately, we were not part of the summit. We will hold a convention. So, we are not bound by what happened there [in Ibadan]. We did not attend,” Otti said.

He added that the party remains open to aspirants seeking its ticket.

“We are a political party. So if you are a party member and want to run, we will give you a ticket.”

Otti also spoke on internal reconciliation within the party. He said efforts were ongoing to bring back aggrieved members, including former national chairman Julius Abure.

“If you followed the convention, we had over 25 state chairmen in attendance, many of whom were previously aligned with Abure,” he said.

“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.

“We declared that there were no winners and no vanquished. Everybody is a winner, so we are keeping our doors open, even for Abure to return to the party that he had worked for. So, the disagreement is over. We are now reconciling, reintegrating, and strengthening the party.”

The governor said the party has confidence in the Usman-led NWC to lead it over the next four years.

He also ruled out any plan to merge with another party, including the All Progressives Congress.