The former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed, has promised to end the leadership crisis rocking the party and unite the two factions ahead of the 2027 general election.
Baba-Ahmed said that the unity of the party members, including Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, former Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and other party chieftains, is needed to boost the LP’s chances to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the country.
The former lawmaker’s assurance came after the party was factionalised into two groups with one faction led by the national chairman, Julius Abure, while ex-minister of finance, Usman Nenadi, heads the rival faction where Otti belongs as its interim national chairman.
He gave the assurance on Monday after attending the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Abure-led faction of the party in Abuja.
Worried by the leadership crisis rocking the party, he stressed that efforts would be made to reconcile divergent opinions and resist hasty political coalitions, saying efforts will be made to sustain the unique and unprecedented achievements recorded in 2023.
“I am here as a peacemaker to reconcile divergent opinions. I’m very proud to say that I did attend meetings of a certain attempt for a coalition in Nigeria.
“Morally speaking, if your neighbourhood invites you to discuss security, you must attend. However, if you attend and they discuss other matters besides that, you are at liberty to restore yourself to your former position.
“I have attended and I have listened to the coalition attempts, yet I remain in the Labour Party. I am not one to sleepwalk into any political arrangements.”
After the meeting, the NEC urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, to comply with the Supreme Court Judgment by recognizing the Abure faction.
“NEC in session notes that there is no vacuum in the leadership of the Party. The Party has conducted its National Convention in line with the party Constitution, the Electoral Act and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 27th March, 2024 at Nnewi Anambra State which has been validated by the Supreme Court in its Judgment of the 4th April 2025.
“Based on the foregoing, therefore, NEC in session hereby calls on all teeming members, supporters, and members of the general public to kindly disregard the so-called meeting and its outcome.
“NEC in session also approved the conduct of State, Local Government, and Ward Congress as may be scheduled by the National Working Committee in line with the party’s Constitution and other Extant laws.
“NEC in session reiterates that Labour Party will not be part of any coalition for the 2027 general election. NEC believes that the coalition of 2023 is bigger than any other coalition. We will therefore rebuild, reconcile, and consolidate the gains of the 2023 general election.
“Labour Party is distinct in terms of its ideology, programs, philosophy, and manifestos, which have the answers to the socio-economic challenges in Nigeria. We can therefore not be tempted by joining any politically spent forces that have hitherto squandered the resources and opportunity of the Nation”.
