Nenadi Usman, interim caretaker committee chairperson of the Labour Party (LP), has said it is “legally impossible” for Peter Obi to return and secure the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the LP platform and finished third behind Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu, left the party in December 2025 to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he is currently among those seeking the party’s presidential nomination.
Amid ongoing leadership disputes within the ADC — recently intensified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) derecognising its factions — speculation has emerged about Obi possibly returning to the LP.
However, speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, Usman dismissed the possibility, citing the party’s internal rules and electoral guidelines.
“It will actually be too late for him to come back,” she said.
“At some point, we close the register, and once we close it 21 days before the primaries and submit the e-register to INEC, you can’t come from behind the door for us to register you and for you to contest. That would be legally impossible.”
Despite her position, Usman acknowledged Obi’s impact on the party’s performance in the last general election.
“Peter Obi really took the party to great heights in 2023,” she said, adding that his candidacy drew widespread support and attracted many new members.
“He convinced me to come with him to the Labour Party. And not just me, many people joined because we believed in equity and fair play,” she said, noting that dissatisfaction with the zoning decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contributed to their defection.
Court Ruling and Party Crisis
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by Julius Abure, who sought to overturn an earlier judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi upheld the lower court’s decision, affirming that the dispute had already been settled. The court also ruled that the federal high court acted within its constitutional powers in directing INEC to recognise Usman as the party’s national chairperson.
Reacting, Usman accused opposing factions of attempting to destabilise the party through multiple lawsuits.
“It was a case to destabilise the party,” she said.
“You see one person filing nothing less than eight cases in eight different courts across eight different states, all seeking one relief. That is an abuse of court processes.”
She added that INEC recently conducted a verification exercise at the party’s office, describing it as successful and noting that officials from previous leadership structures were present.
Usman said the party would soon begin its congresses, culminating in a national convention scheduled to take place in Umuahia, Abia State. She noted that all factions, including the Abure group, had been invited as part of reconciliation efforts.
“We’ve extended an olive branch. We just want to build the party,” she said.
Emphasising institutional continuity over individual dominance, Usman warned against attempts to personalise leadership.
“We don’t want anybody to perpetuate themselves as chairman for life. Leadership in a political party has a tenure, you come, you go, but the party should remain,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the forthcoming convention would strengthen unity within the party.
“The Labour Party is not tied to any one person,” Usman added. “By the time we gather for the convention, we will see a more united party.”
