2027: Abure-led LP unveils presidential candidate

The National Youth Leader of the Labour Party, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, has emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of the Julius Abure-led faction of the party for the 2027 presidential election on Saturday.

The 42-year-old party stalwart was adopted at the faction’s presidential, governorship and House of Representatives primaries held in Abuja.

The development comes amid the lingering leadership crisis within the Labour Party.

The Labour Party has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership tussle involving the Abure-led National Working Committee and a rival camp backed by prominent party figures, including Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti.

In his acceptance speech, Ahanotu pledged to work towards uniting the party and strengthening its structures ahead of the next general election.

He said: “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.

“I look forward to working closely with all the candidates and other leaders and stakeholders across the federation to strengthen our party structures, deepen internal democracy, reconcile differences where they exist, and reposition the party.

“I call on all leaders, stakeholders, and members of the Labour Party to embrace unity, reconciliation, and collective responsibility. Our strength lies not in our differences but in our shared commitment to building a stronger party and a better Nigeria.”

The youthful politician also welcomed reconciliation efforts within the party and expressed readiness to engage Governor Otti and other aggrieved stakeholders.

According to him: “I believe that Abia State Governor, His Excellency Dr Alex Otti, should be magnanimous in victory. I will reach out to him as the presidential candidate and find a way for us to reconcile the party. I believe in the more, the merrier.

“Currently, he is holding the position of governance as the elected governor of Abia State. This is why I believe he should be magnanimous in victory.

“The party is not meant only for Abia. It is a platform that has a political structure across the country. But making it look like an Abia project is not enough.

“So, we will reach out to him because I know he is a very sound person. I am sure he will reason with me on the need to work together.

“I am also using this opportunity to invite critical party stakeholders and members to allow us to continue from where we stopped.”

Ahanotu’s presidential ambition first came to public attention on July 23, 2025, when he disclosed in an exclusive interview with The PidomNigeria that he intended to contest for the presidency, arguing that Nigeria needed a generational shift in leadership.

According to him at the time, the country was in urgent need of a departure from the old political order that had dominated governance for decades.

The party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, was represented at the event by the Deputy National Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi, who formally announced Ahanotu as the party’s standard bearer.

Explaining the decision to settle for a consensus candidate, Olorunfemi said: “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.

“Having got this consensus votes and no opposition whatsoever, Prince Ahanotu is hereby returned elected as Labour Party presidential candidate.

“It should not come to anybody that the party has decided to give its ticket to a progressive young man. He is the future of our party and the future starts now. There is no room for excuses.”

The governorship candidates adopted at the primaries include Titus Tamango Belamo (Benue), Gaza Gbefwi (Nasarawa), Mohammad Raji (Kano), Rabe Katsina (Katsina), Abdulrrahim Chindo (Sokoto), Yahuza Ahmed (Zamfara), Ceekay Igara (Abia), Dr Barry Avotu Johnson (Delta), Emmanuel Friday (Cross River), Prince Nuka Nwigbo (Rivers), Mohammed Aliyu (Bauchi), Ajibade Adekunle (Kwara) and Auwal Tafoki (Kaduna).

The emergence of Ahanotu sets the stage for a fresh chapter in the Labour Party’s internal contest as rival factions continue efforts to assert legitimacy ahead of the 2027 general election.

With both camps preparing separate political activities and primaries, the party faces the challenge of resolving its leadership crisis if it hopes to mount a formidable challenge in the next presidential race.

When contacted for reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the Usman-led leadership, Ken Asogwa, dismissed the faction and its choice of candidates.

Asogwa also said they are not obliged to honour Abure and his group with any feedback.

He said: “Abure is no threat to us. This issue of presidential and governorship candidates, to us, is mundane and non-existent.

“As I speak with you, the party has not been served any paper from the Supreme Court as Abure claimed. He needs to be investigated.

“However, let me quickly add that he is a distraction and the party has moved on.”