‘It’ll be too late for Peter Obi to return to Labour Party’ — Nenadi Usman
Usman: Obi’s Return to Labour Party Before 2027 Election Unlikely
LAGOS — Nenadi Usman, the Chairperson of the Labour Party, stated that it may be too late for former presidential candidate Peter Obi to rejoin the party in time for the 2027 elections.
In an interview with Arise Television’s Prime Time on Wednesday, Usman pointed to electoral guidelines and party regulations as obstacles for Obi’s potential return.
“It will be too late for him to come back,” she said. “According to current regulations, the registration closes 21 days before the primaries, at which point we submit our e-register to the Independent National Electoral Commission. He can’t come at the last minute and expect us to register him to contest.”
Usman recognized Obi’s pivotal role in elevating the party’s profile during the last general elections, admitting that no current member possesses the same level of political momentum.
“Many of us, including me, were convinced to join the Labour Party by Peter because we believed in equity and fairness,” she noted.
Usman’s choice to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was influenced by dissatisfaction with its zoning arrangement. She expressed concern over the party’s decision not to zone the presidential seat to the southern region.
“They were trying to field a Northerner, which didn’t seem fair,” Usman said. “Even as a Northerner myself, I felt it wasn’t right, which is why I departed, bringing many others with me to the Labour Party.”
Looking ahead, Usman emphasized the party’s renewed focus on its foundational principles of social justice and equal opportunity. She singled out Abia State Governor Alex Otti as a model for this direction.
“Expect a new Labour Party committed to the ideologies it was initially built upon,” she stated. “Governor Otti represents those values well; he’s the only governor we have, and he’s performing admirably.”
Usman also called for greater involvement from Nigerians, particularly activists and unionists, in the political sphere.
“If you consider yourself an activist with something to contribute to Nigeria, step up and contest in elections,” she urged. “You cannot instigate change from the outside.”
