By Eze Victor, Abakaliki
The Labour Party (LP) has declared that it will not collapse its structure into the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting instead on retaining its identity while supporting former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for the 2027 general election.
The former Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State during the 2023 general election, Splendo Oko-Eze, made this known on Tuesday while addressing journalists shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Abakaliki.
Oko-Eze said the party was intensifying efforts to strengthen its grassroots structures across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State in preparation for upcoming congresses and future elections.
He dismissed claims that the Labour Party and the Obedient Movement were weak or irrelevant in the state, describing such assertions as misleading and politically motivated.
According to him, the Labour Party remains a formidable opposition force in Ebonyi State and is well positioned to replicate—and even surpass—its performance in the 2023 general elections come 2027.
“The Labour Party is not collapsing its structure into ADC or any other party. We are focused on strengthening our internal structures and will fully support Peter Obi to become the President of Nigeria in 2027,” Oko-Eze stated.
The stakeholders’ meeting also witnessed the reception of ten new members drawn from various local government areas of the state, a development party leaders described as further evidence of the party’s growing popularity and acceptance among the people.
Party leaders at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to transparent politics, people-oriented leadership and the promotion of good governance at the grassroots level.
Speaking at the event, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Henry Udeh (AjimBest), assured party members and the general public that the party would not engage in what he described as “broad daylight robbery” through the sale of exorbitantly priced nomination forms.
“Our nomination forms will reflect the ideology of the Labour Party. We will not sell forms at ridiculous prices. If possible, our forms will be free so that the people can choose their leaders, not money choosing leaders,” Udeh said.
In his remarks, the party’s secretary, Innocent Igiri, criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the alleged sale of local government chairmanship nomination forms for ₦30 million.
Igiri described the development as outrageous, criminal and anti-democratic, warning that such exorbitant fees would exclude credible but less-privileged citizens from participating in grassroots governance.
“At a time when Nigerians are hungry and suffering, a political party that claims it wants to govern is charging ₦30 million just for a local government chairmanship form. That is outrageous and unacceptable. It is criminal,” Igiri said.
The condemnation was made public during the state stakeholders’ meeting held at the Labour Party secretariat in Ishieke, along the Abakaliki–Enugu Expressway.