The Labour Party has said its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, cannot return to contest in its primaries once the party closes its voter register ahead of elections.
A party official explained that the Electoral Act and internal guidelines require the register to be closed 21 days before primaries and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). She said this makes it impossible for late entrants to be added.
“Well, it will be too late, actually for him to come back… you can’t come from behind the door for us to register you and for you to contest,” she said.
Despite this position, she acknowledged Obi’s major influence on the party’s rise during the last general election, noting that his popularity helped attract many supporters.
“Even me, he convinced me to come with him to the Labour Party and not just me, many people that are in Labour Party today were convinced by Peter,” she said, adding that many joined because of beliefs in fairness and equity.
She also said her personal move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Labour Party was driven by disagreement over zoning decisions during the last election cycle. She argued that the PDP’s decision not to zone its presidential ticket to the South influenced her departure.
Looking ahead, she said the Labour Party is working to return to its founding principles of social justice, equal opportunity, and ideology-based politics. She pointed to the performance of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, as an example of the party’s direction.
“What I want Nigerians to expect henceforth is a new Labour Party… equal opportunity, social justice,” she said.
She added that Otti remains the party’s strongest example in governance, describing him as an “ambassador” of the Labour Party and praising his performance as the party’s only sitting governor.