The Labour Party has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region, its National Chairperson, Nenadi Usman, has confirmed.
Usman made this known on Tuesday, March 24, in Abuja, stating that the decision had already been finalised within the party’s leadership.
“We have one certain decision that we have taken and that is that we will certainly not field any aspirant from northern Nigeria. We have zoned the position to southern Nigeria,” she said.
“So if any northerner comes now to want to contest elections, we certainly will not accept that.”
She declined to name any preferred candidate, emphasising that the party would follow due process in selecting its flag bearer.
“As for who, I can’t tell you now because then it won’t be democratic anymore. Whoever the people like and vote for during the primaries… could be the candidate,” she said.
“We cannot go out there to beg people, please come and use the Labour Party to contest elections. It’s never done.”
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On internal matters, Usman disclosed that a legal challenge against the dissolution of the party’s national caretaker committee had been dismissed by the court.
“To God be the glory, the case was thrown out because it lacked merit,” she said, adding that the judge “stood on truth”.
She also hinted at a possible adjustment to the party’s congress timetable due to increasing membership, warning that sticking to the current schedule could exclude some members.
“If we go ahead to stick to that date, to my mind, we are going to disenfranchise quite a number of people,” she said.
Addressing security concerns, Usman revealed that the party had reported an attack on its office to the police and expressed confidence that those responsible would face justice.
“I’m very, very sure they are going to make sure that they bring to book all those who had a hand in what happened to serve as a deterrent,” she said.
She further encouraged members to embrace digital registration, noting that manual registration should be limited to those without access to mobile technology.