Obi cannot rejoin, contest 2027 election on our platform - LP chair

The Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria is navigating a significant internal challenge, as highlighted by the statement from its interim national chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman. Her declaration that Peter Obi, the party's charismatic 2023 presidential candidate, is legally barred from contesting the 2027 election on the LP platform underscores the complex electoral laws and internal party dynamics at play.

Usman's explanation, rooted in the Electoral Act's provisions regarding membership registration deadlines, points to a rigid process that could exclude prominent figures if not adhered to. The party's register must be closed and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) well in advance of primaries, making late entries legally impossible. This stance, while perhaps technically correct, could alienate a significant portion of the party's support base, which rallied behind Obi in 2023.

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Well it will be too late actually for him to come back because if you look at the act now, at some point we close the register. Once we close the register 21 days before primaries, submit the register, the e-register to INEC, you can’t come from behind the door for us to register you and for you to contest the elections. That would be impossible, legally impossible anyway.

The ongoing leadership crisis within the LP, following its strong showing in the last general election, has created an environment of uncertainty. The legal battles over the national chairmanship, culminating in court rulings favoring Usman's caretaker committee, have yet to be fully resolved, with appeals pending. From the perspective of the LP's current leadership, enforcing party rules and electoral laws is crucial for legitimacy and future electoral planning, even if it means potentially losing a popular figure like Peter Obi.

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Even me, he convinced me to come with him to Labour Party. Convinced me and not just me, many people that are in Labour Party today were convinced by, let’s join Peter, go to Labour Party because we believed in equity and fair play.