Obi not guaranteed 2027 LP ticket — Datti has equal claim, says factional secretary

Umar Farouk Ibrahim, factional national secretary of the Labour Party (LP), says Peter Obi may be disqualified from seeking the party’s presidential ticket in 2027 if he continues to associate with other political platforms.

Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, Ibrahim said no individual has an automatic claim to the party’s presidential ticket, and warned that Obi must fully align with LP to remain eligible.

“Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency as much as Peter Obi,” he said, referring to Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s 2023 running mate.

“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.”

Umar insisted the party would not tolerate “divided loyalty”, and pointed to Baba-Ahmed as a credible option for LP in the next election cycle.

“He (Baba-Ahmed) has shown the capacity that is expected of a true politician. So it is his duty now to go and talk to his master, or to his boss: ‘Look, this is what we are supposed to do.’ If he decides to follow him,” the factional secretary said.

Ibrahim, however, added that Baba-Ahmed might step aside if Obi chooses to run again.

“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 added.

The Labour Party is currently battling a leadership crisis, with parallel factions led by Julius Abure and Usman Nenadi, respectively. Ibrahim belongs to the Abure-led faction, while Obi is aligned with the Nenadi group.

Last week, Baba-Ahmed met with the Abure-led faction and stressed the need for unity, declaring the Labour Party is “not a party to walk away from”.

Obi, who joined the ADC-led coalition in early July, has maintained that he remains a member of LP.

On July 11, Obi said the alliance with ADC and others was part of a broader effort to build a stronger political alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.