LP Presidential Ticket Zoned to South, Nenadi Usman Announces

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the Labour Party (LP) has zoned its presidential ticket to the South.

With this decision, the party has effectively barred Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate of Peter Obi and other aspirants from the North from contesting for the position on its platform in the coming elections.

Usman added that the decision was a firm policy shift intended to provide clarity for prospective aspirants ahead of the next general election.

She gave the hint on Tuesday in Abuja at the end of a consultative meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

She stated: “We have one certain decision that we have taken. That is to say that we will certainly not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria. We have zoned the position to Southern Nigeria. So if any Northerner comes now to want to contest elections, we certainly will not accept that.”

Usman, however, added that the party remained committed to internal democracy and would not handpick a specific individual.

Her words: “As for who, I can’t tell you now because then it won’t be democratic anymore. When the aspirants come, whoever the people like and vote for during the primaries, then whoever it is that wins the primaries, then we put them in the position.”

Usman revealed that a suit filed at a High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, against the National Caretaker Committee was dismissed for lacking merit.

According to her, To God be the glory, the case was thrown out. The court discovered that they had no locus standi. I believe the judge did very well by standing on truth and the case is now thrown out, so it is over.

On the party’s upcoming congresses, initially scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 26, Usman hinted at a potential adjustment to the timetable to accommodate a “surge” of new members.

She argued that sticking to the immediate date might disenfranchise many who are currently seeking to join the party.

“If we go ahead to stick to that date, to my mind, we are going to disenfranchise quite a number of people. I think we should tinker with that date, sit together as a group and come up with a new date,” Nenadi stated.