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Rival Labour Party factions present separate presidential candidates for Nigeria's 2027 election
Two rival factions of Nigeria's Labour Party have presented separate presidential candidates for the 2027 general election. The Nenadi Ousmane-led faction formally presented Dr Chibuzo Okirike, while the Julius Aburi-led faction adopted Kennedy Ahonotu with a consensus vote. Meanwhile, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu warned that APC candidates for the state assembly will not take anything for granted.
Two rival factions of Nigeria's Labour Party have presented separate presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general election, deepening the leadership crisis within the party. The announcements were made in Abuja on the same day, highlighting the ongoing division.
The Nenadi Ousmane-led faction formally presented Dr Chibuzo Okirike as its presidential candidate. The party described his emergence as following a broad-based consensus among members and stakeholders. According to the faction, Okirike has built an impressive reputation as one of Nigeria's leading voices on public policy, legislative governance and institutional development.
Meanwhile, the Julius Aburi-led faction adopted its national youth leader, Kennedy Ahonotu, as its presidential candidate. The deputy national chairman announced that Ahonotu received a consensus vote of over two million nine hundred thousand votes with no opposition. The faction said it will field candidates in all governorship, state and national assembly positions.
The existence of two rival presidential candidates from the same party reflects the deep fractures within the Labour Party, which gained national prominence during the 2023 presidential election under Peter Obi. The leadership dispute has resulted in parallel structures operating at every level of the party.
In a separate development, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has made clear that All Progressives Congress candidates vying for the Lagos State House of Assembly will not be taking anything for granted ahead of the 2027 elections. The warning signals an awareness within the ruling party of growing political competition even in its traditional strongholds.