In a surprising turn of events, the Labour Party (LP) has backtracked on its previous position regarding a potential Igbo presidency for the 2027 election, clarifying that the party will not be engaging in any form of zoning for the forthcoming race.
This clarification followed a recent statement by LP’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, who had earlier expressed the party’s commitment to supporting the South East region’s political aspirations.
Abure had famously declared that the party had deliberately supported the South East during the 2023 general elections to “wipe their tears,” echoing a gesture of solidarity for the region’s historical political marginalization.
However, in another statement by its publicity secretary Obiora Ifoh, LP made it clear that the 2027 presidential ticket would not be zoned to any particular region, marking a significant departure from its earlier rhetoric.
The party emphasized that the selection of its presidential candidate would follow an open, competitive, and democratic process, allowing all interested candidates a chance to compete.
Speaking to party supporters at a South East LP rally in Abuja, Abure had remarked, “We decided that we were going to clean the tears of the Igbos, and we powerfully and courageously did that in the 2023 general election.”
He went on to urge the Igbo community to build broader alliances with other regions, drawing parallels with the Yoruba political bloc’s historical efforts to overcome political marginalization through strategic realignments.
Despite this, the party Ifoh, issued a contradictory statement, asserting that LP had never, and would never, engage in zoning of any of its positions. “The party has not and will not zone any of its positions to any geographical zone or individual,” Ifoh said, reaffirming the party’s commitment to maintaining a national outlook.