"Obi May Not Be Given 2027 Ticket": LP Factional Secretary Declares, Explains Why
- LP factional secretary Umar Farouk Ibrahim warned Obi may lose 2027 ticket if he continues aligning with other parties, stressing loyalty is non-negotiable in Labour Party politics
- Ibrahim said Obi risks disqualification, backs Baba-Ahmed as a strong contender if Obi doesn't contest, and insists LP won’t accept divided loyalty
- Labour Party crisis deepens as leadership tussle and Obi’s ADC alliance raise questions about the party’s 2027 presidential direction
Umar Farouk Ibrahim, factional national secretary of the Labour Party (LP), has warned that Peter Obi may not be handed the party’s 2027 presidential ticket unless he commits fully to the Labour Party.
Ibrahim stressed that no individual enjoys an automatic right to the party's ticket, not even the 2023 presidential flagbearer.
Source: Twitter
“Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency as much as Peter Obi. But if those people don’t come back to us, they lose that opportunity. There’s no way you’ll continue to romance with other political parties and then still come back with one leg in the Labour Party. No, ab initio, you may be disqualified," he said.
LP won’t tolerate divided loyalty
The LP secretary reiterated that loyalty to the party is non-negotiable.
He explained that Obi’s continued engagement with other political movements could cost him the LP ticket, The Cable reported.
“We won’t allow divided loyalty. You cannot be associating with other platforms while claiming to be part of Labour," he said.
Ibrahim also threw his support behind Baba-Ahmed as a credible contender if Obi does not contest, describing him as a capable leader.
“He has shown the capacity that is expected of a true politician. It is his duty now to speak to his boss and decide the right course. If he follows Obi, fine. But if not, he is qualified to go it alone.”
Obi remains LP member, but questions linger
Source: Twitter
While Obi has insisted he remains a member of the Labour Party, his recent involvement with a new coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised doubts within the LP leadership.
Last week, Baba-Ahmed met with the Abure-led LP faction and called for unity within the party, Vanguard reported.
“Labour Party is not a party to walk away from,” Baba-Ahmed reportedly said during the meeting.
Despite concerns, Ibrahim noted that the party would not prevent both men from contesting if they choose to.
“As long as Peter Obi comes and says he is going to contest, Datti may not go against him. But if both of them decide to run, we will give them an open playing ground,” he explained.
Factional crisis continues to divide LP
The Labour Party remains in the midst of a leadership crisis, with factions led by Julius Abure and Usman Nenadi. Ibrahim is part of the Abure-led faction, while Obi is associated with the Nenadi group.
This deepening divide continues to cast uncertainty over the party’s strategy for the 2027 general election.
Peter Obi asked to pull out of 2027 presidential race
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a former member of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Mr Jude Idimogu, has urged Mr Peter Obi to shelve his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Idimogu, who is the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
Source: Legit.ng
