Crisis: 2027 won’t be easy for Labour Party— Dep. Chair

The Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, has said that it will be difficult for the party to replicate its impressive performance in the 2023 elections in 2027 owing to its lingering leadership crisis.

Olorunfemi, a factional LP leader loyal to the embattled National Chairman of the party, Mr Julius Abure,said this in an interview with our correspondent on Monday in Lagos.

He said the prolonged leadership dispute had weakened the party and affected its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the reality is that the party is not adequately positioned at the moment to mount a challenge similar to what it achieved in the 2023 elections.

“It will be difficult. By the time these issues are resolved, valuable time would have been lost.

“Building momentum around a new presidential candidate and mobilising nationwide support requires substantial time and organisation,” he said.

Olorunfemi said that despite the challenges facing the party, members loyal to the Abure-led leadership remained united and resolute.

He, however, hinted that the group could align with another political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.

He,however,said the decision would depend on the outcome of ongoing legal battle over the party’s leadership.

“As things stand, the Labour Party is facing a serious internal crisis. However, the people who truly constitute the Labour Party remain united and resolute.

“There is a possibility that we may eventually align with another political platform ahead of the 2027 elections, depending on the outcome of ongoing legal processes,” he said.

The LP chieftain said that his faction had conducted its own primary election and produced a presidential candidate, while the opposing faction also had its candidate.

He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised the faction that emerged following judgments of the High Court and Court of Appeal.

“We are awaiting the Supreme Court’s final decision,” he said.

Olorunfemi said his faction’s position before the apex court was that courts had consistently held that they could not impose or appoint leaders for political parties.

According to him, the convention conducted by the Abure-led leadership complied with the party’s constitution and due process requirements.

“We conducted a valid convention in accordance with the party constitution and all due processes were followed.

“That convention has never been set aside by any court.

“Our contention is that if a convention was validly conducted and produced party leaders, those outcomes remain binding unless overturned through lawful procedures,” he said.

Olorunfemi said that if the Supreme Court ruled against his faction, its members would carefully study the judgment and decide on their next line of action.

“One option under consideration is leaving the Labour Party ,then join another political party.

“The members and structures that support us remain intact, and those supporters can move with us,if necessary,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that many prominent members of the party, including its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and his supporters, had dumped the party for other platforms