Obi may not get Labour Party’s presidential ticket in 2027 – Secretary

Factional National Secretary of the Labour Party, Umar Farouk, on Wednesday, warned that Peter Obi may lose the party’s presidential ticket in 2027 if he continues to hobnob with the African Democratic Congress.

Farouk, who said this in an interview with Trust TV, stressed that the LP will give Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed a chance to contest for President.

He emphasised that the LP’s presidential ticket is not reserved for anyone.

The factional LP Secretary, who expressed displeasure with Obi for associating with leaders of the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress, maintained that the LP’s 2027 presidential ticket will be contested.

He declared Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 Vice Presidential candidate, is as qualified as his principal, Obi.

He added, “Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency as good as Peter Obi. So, the seat of that candidacy is not reserved for anybody. It is open for a competitive contest.

“If Datti is willing to aspire for presidency and he wants to do that under the Labour Party, we will open it. Come and buy the form, mobilise his support and then get elected.

“But the only thing is that if those people didn’t come back to us, they lose that opportunity because there’s no way you’ll continue to romance with other political parties and then you still come back and your one leg is in the Labour Party. No, ab initio, you may be disqualified.”

Farouk spoke barely a week after Baba-Ahmed declared his interest in the 2027 presidential race, should Obi decide not to contest.

But Baba-Ahmed, who said he is not desperate to become President, also reaffirmed his support for Obi, saying the former governor of Anambra State deserves another chance to contest on the LP platform.