The Labour Party has decided to zone its presidential ticket to the southern region of Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party's National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Nenadi Usman, announced the decision during a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
Usman stated that the party would not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria, emphasizing the commitment to regional rotation. She noted that the decision aligns with the party's internal democratic processes, though she declined to name any potential candidate at this stage.
Party's Position on Northern Aspirants
"We have one certain decision that we have taken, and that is that we will certainly not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria," Usman said. "We have zoned the position to southern Nigeria." She added that if any northerner attempts to contest, the party would not accept such a candidacy.
The former finance minister explained that naming potential candidates prematurely would undermine the democratic process. "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 stated.
Membership Growth and Electoral Preparations
Usman highlighted the party's growing membership as a factor in reconsidering the timing of upcoming congresses. "If we go ahead to stick to that date, to my mind, we are going to disenfranchise quite a number of people," she said, suggesting a possible review of the schedule.
The zoning decision mirrors the approach taken in the 2023 general election, where the Labour Party also selected a southern candidate. This practice, while not constitutionally mandated, has become a feature of Nigeria's political landscape as parties seek to balance regional interests.
In the last election cycle, while the All Progressives Congress and Labour Party zoned their presidential tickets to the south, the Peoples Democratic Party left the position open. The 2023 election ultimately saw Bola Tinubu of the APC emerge victorious, with Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party following in second and third places respectively.
