By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA — The Labour Party (LP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, effectively ruling out aspirants from Northern Nigeria from contesting for the position on its platform.
Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Nenadi Usman, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday after a consultative meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Usman described the decision as a firm policy aimed at providing clarity for prospective aspirants ahead of the next general elections.
“We have taken a definite position. We will not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria. The ticket has been zoned to the South, and any Northerner who indicates interest will not be accepted,” she said.
Despite the zoning arrangement, she stressed that the party would uphold internal democracy by allowing aspirants to emerge through a transparent primary process.
“As for who will emerge, I cannot say now because that would undermine democracy. The people will decide through the primaries,” she added.
The announcement follows a legal victory for the party’s leadership, as a High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, dismissed a suit challenging the legitimacy of the National Caretaker Committee.
Usman said the court struck out the case for lack of locus standi, effectively affirming the committee’s leadership.
“Fortunately, the case was dismissed. The court found that the plaintiffs had no locus standi, and that brings the matter to a close,” she stated.
On the party’s forthcoming congresses, initially scheduled to begin on March 26, Usman hinted at a possible shift in dates to accommodate an influx of new members.
She noted that proceeding with the current timetable could disenfranchise many intending members, adding that the party leadership would review the schedule.
“If we go ahead with the date as planned, we risk excluding many people who want to join. We may need to adjust the timetable to ensure inclusiveness,” she said.
Usman also confirmed that the party has petitioned the Nigerian Police over a recent security breach involving its property, expressing confidence that those responsible would be held accountable.
She added that appropriate action by security agencies would serve as a deterrent against future incidents of political violence.
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