Too late for Peter Obi to return to Labour Party — Nenadi Usman

The Chairman of the Labour Party, Nenadi Usman, has stated that it would be too late for the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return to its platform and contest under its banner ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Usman made this known on Wednesday during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television, where she referenced electoral regulations and internal party procedures as key restrictions.

According to her, the Electoral Act and party guidelines make it impossible for new entrants to be registered once the party has closed its membership register ahead of primaries.

“Well, it will be too late, actually for him to come back, because if you look at the Act now, at some point we close the register, and once we close the register 21 days before primaries, submit the e-register to INEC. You can’t come from behind the door for us to register you and for you to contest,” she said.

Despite ruling out his return, Usman acknowledged Peter Obi’s significant contribution to the Labour Party’s rise during the 2023 elections, noting that his candidacy attracted a large number of supporters and new members.

“Even me, he convinced me to come with him to the Labour Party and not just me, many people that are in Labour Party today were convinced by Peter because we believed in equity and fairness,” she said.

She explained that her own defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Labour Party was driven by disagreement over zoning arrangements ahead of the 2023 elections.

Usman said she believed the PDP should have zoned its presidential ticket to the South, adding that dissatisfaction with the party’s decision influenced her exit.

On the future direction of the Labour Party, she said the party would return to its founding principles of social justice, equity, and equal opportunity.

She also described Governor Alex Otti of Abia State as a leading example of the party’s ideology in practice.

“What I want Nigerians to expect henceforth is a new Labour Party that is going to be strictly based on the ideologies the party was built initially to represent… equal opportunity, social justice,” she said.

“And if you look at what the Abia Governor is doing… he is strictly following those. Yes, Governor Alex Otti. He is what I would say is the ambassador of the Labour Party. He’s the only governor we have and he’s doing very well.”

Usman further encouraged Nigerians, including activists and unionists, to actively participate in politics, stressing that meaningful change must come through electoral engagement rather than external criticism.