Nenadi Usman, national chairperson of the Labour Party (LP), say the party has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the south.
Usman spoke on Tuesday in Abuja, adding the decision was already settled within the party.
“We have one certain decision that we have taken and that is that we will certainly not field any aspirant from northern Nigeria. We have zoned the position to southern Nigeria,” she said.
“So if any northerner comes now to want to contest elections, we certainly will not accept that.”
Usman, however, declined to name any potential candidate, insisting the party would adhere to internal democratic processes.
“As for who, I can’t tell you now because then it won’t be democratic anymore. Whoever the people like and vote for during the primaries… could be the candidate,” she said.
“We cannot go out there to beg people, please come and use the Labour Party to contest elections. It’s never done.”
On internal party disputes, Usman noted that a court case challenging the dissolution of the party’s national caretaker committee had been dismissed.
“To God be the glory, the case was thrown out because it lacked merit,” she said, adding that the judge “stood on truth”.
Usman also said the party may review the date for its upcoming congresses due to a surge in membership.
“If we go ahead to stick to that date, to my mind, we are going to disenfranchise quite a number of people,” she said.
On security concerns, Usman said the party had petitioned the police over an attack on its office and expressed confidence that those responsible would be prosecuted.
“I’m very, very sure they are going to make sure that they bring to book all those who had a hand in what happened to serve as a deterrent,” she said.
Usman urged party members to take advantage of digital registration, noting that only those in remote areas without access to mobile technology should rely on manual processes.
