The Labour Party is heading into the 2027 general elections with two rival presidential candidates, deepening the leadership crisis that has split the party into competing factions.
The Nenadi Usman-led faction has announced Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate for 2027. Okereke emerged following a “broad-based consensus among party members and stakeholders,” which was affirmed in Abuja on May 30, 2026, according to a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa. The party described Okereke as a governance expert and policy strategist who serves as President of ERGAF-AFRICA Legislative Governance Innovation and Policy Hub and as a legislative consultant to key committees of the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Julius Abure-led faction has unveiled its own presidential candidate. Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, the National Youth Leader of the party, emerged as the consensus candidate at the faction’s presidential primaries held in Abuja on Saturday. Deputy National Chairman Ayo Olorunfemi announced him as the standard bearer, saying “Quite a number of aspirants showed interest in the presidential ticket. But the party settled for a young man, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, who was given a consensus vote of 2,944,000 votes”.
Ahanotu, 42, accepted the nomination and pledged to unite the party. “With a full sense of responsibility and unwavering commitment to our nation, I proudly accept the nomination of our great party, the Labour Party, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. With this consensus comes an even greater responsibility, and I pledge never to take that trust for granted,” he said.
The emergence of two candidates reflects the prolonged leadership tussle between the Abure-led National Working Committee and the rival camp backed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Senator Nenadi Usman.
The Nenadi Usman camp had earlier screened two other aspirants, Dr. Peter Agada from Benue State and 35-year-old Samuel Nwigwe from Ebonyi State, ahead of the party primaries. Agada told the screening committee that zoning was not recognised in the Nigerian Constitution or party constitutions, describing it as a “gentleman’s agreement”.
The Labour Party had earlier zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. “We have one certain decision that we have taken, and that is that we will certainly not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria. We have zoned the position to southern Nigeria,” acting National Chairperson Nenadi Usman said.
With both factions now presenting separate flagbearers, the party faces the challenge of resolving its internal divisions before the Independent National Electoral Commission releases the final list of candidates for the 2027 presidential election.
