Peter Obi Won’t Contest 2027 Presidential Election – LP National Secretary

The National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP) loyal to Julius Abure, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, has dismissed claims that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will contest in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Ibrahim stated this during an interview on Trust TV on Thursday, saying Obi was currently enjoying “media publicity” but had shown no genuine interest in returning to the race.

“I can tell you, Obi is not going to contest the presidential election. Obi is enjoying media publicity, but in 2027, he is not interested in it. We have offered him the presidential ticket, he rejected it,” Ibrahim declared.

The statement comes barely 24 hours after Obi reaffirmed that he remains a member of the Labour Party and that his name would be on the ballot in the 2027 presidential race.

However, Ibrahim questioned Obi’s recent political activities, suggesting that his conduct had created uncertainty about his loyalty and alignment within the party.

“There is no clarity about where Obi stands politically. His recent actions show he is exploring other platforms, and we cannot continue to wait endlessly,” Ibrahim added.

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Speaking further, the LP National Secretary expressed concern about the state of the opposition, arguing that political parties outside the All Progressives Congress (APC) were currently too demoralised to mount any serious challenge against the ruling party.

“The opposition has become too weak and demoralised to challenge the APC effectively. Unless there’s a major reorganisation, the ruling party will continue to dominate,” he said.

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, emerged as one of the leading opposition figures, securing over six million votes according to official results.

In recent weeks, he has been linked to renewed consultations across opposition blocs, with reports suggesting talks with figures in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, the latest comments by Ibrahim appear to deepen internal divisions within the Labour Party, which has faced multiple leadership crises since the end of the 2023 polls.

As of the time of filing this report, Peter Obi has yet to respond to the claim that he rejected the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.