Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Nenadi Usman, has said it would be too late for former presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi to return and contest under the party’s platform in the forthcoming general election.
Truth Live News Media reports that she disclosed this while speaking during an interview on Arise Television.
Usman explained that electoral timelines and internal party procedures make Obi’s return impossible at this stage.
“Well, it will be too late, actually for him to come back, because if you look at the Act now,” Usman said.
The former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy of Nigeria added that the party must close its membership register ahead of primaries and submit an electronic register to the Independent National Electoral Commission at least 21 days before its primaries, after which no new entrants can be admitted.
“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 a return, Usman acknowledged Obi’s major influence on the party’s growth during the last general election, saying many members, including herself, were drawn into the Labour Party through his political movement.
“Even me, he convinced me to come with him to the Labour Party and not just me, many people that are in the Labour Party today were convinced by Peter Obi because we believed in equity and fairness,” she said.
She also said the party would refocus on its founding principles of social justice and equal opportunity, pointing to Abia State Governor Alex Otti as a model 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’s 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 urged Nigerians with political ambitions or activist backgrounds to actively participate in elections rather than remain on the sidelines, stressing that meaningful change must come through engagement in the political process.
“If you think you’re an activist, you have something to offer Nigeria, come contest elections… because you cannot change from outside,” Usman said.
