2027: Abure LP Faction Offers Free Forms To Aspirants

The faction of the Labour Party led by Barrister Julius Abure on Monday declared that it would participate fully in the 2027 general elections, announcing free nomination forms for aspirants across all elective positions amid the deepening leadership crisis rocking the party.

The declaration comes despite an earlier announcement by the party fixing nomination fees for the 2027 elections.

Daily Trust had reported that the party had pegged nomination forms for House of Assembly aspirants at ₦3 million, while House of Representatives at ₦5 million, Senate at ₦10 million, and governorship at ₦25 million.

The party also pegged the presidential ticket at ₦50 million: expression of interest form ₦10 million and nomination form ₦40 million.
Abure, speaking at a press conference in Abuja, also dismissed allegations that his faction demanded money from Alex Otti during reconciliation talks, insisting that discussions with the governor centred only on power-sharing and party structure.

The development comes against the backdrop of the protracted legal battle over the leadership of the party, worsening internal divisions and growing uncertainty over the control of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Abure said his faction had already approached the Supreme Court to challenge the April 21, 2026 Appeal Court judgment which affirmed Senator Nenadi Usman as chairman of the party.

“This is the first statement by me after the Appeal Court judgment against our leadership. We have filed our notice of appeal and we are waiting for the compilation of records so that we can properly file our brief at the Supreme Court,” he said.

He accused unnamed political forces of plotting to weaken the Labour Party after its performance in the 2023 elections, alleging that some beneficiaries of the party’s electoral success were now being used against it.

The factional chairman maintained that the executive led by him emerged from the March 27, 2024 national convention in Nnewi and remained the legitimate leadership of the party.

He said despite the court verdict, the faction would proceed with its own primaries and candidate nomination process for the 2027 polls.

According to him, governorship and state assembly primaries would be held on May 27, while National Assembly primaries are scheduled for May 29.

Abure said aspirants across the country could obtain nomination forms free of charge through the party’s online platforms and state chairmen.

He described the free forms initiative as part of the Labour Party’s ideological commitment to making politics affordable for ordinary Nigerians.

“We did it in the 2022/2023 elections and that was why okada riders and palm kernel crushers won seats in the National Assembly,” he said.

The LP factional chairman also took a swipe at the Nenadi Usman-led camp, accusing it of imposing high nomination fees on aspirants and violating party procedures in fixing dates for congresses and primaries.

On the controversy surrounding reconciliation talks with Governor Otti, Abure denied reports that his camp demanded financial inducement from the Abia governor.

“At no time was the issue of money discussed. Nobody made any financial request and nobody offered any money to anyone,” he said.

He disclosed that his faction had proposed a power-sharing arrangement to the governor, including allowing him to nominate candidates for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly positions in Abia State, alongside concessions on key national offices.

According to him, the talks collapsed because Otti insisted on dissolving the existing party structure.

Abure said his faction would continue to function as the authentic leadership of the party pending the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal.(daily trust)