Former National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has expressed readiness to throw his political weight behind President Bola Tinubu or former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Abure, however, dismissed the possibility of supporting former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, insisting that he would not align with the politician for another presidential race.
The former party leader explained that his eventual choice would be influenced by the outcome of the lingering leadership tussle within the Labour Party, his political beliefs and interests, as well as the electoral appeal of the individual seeking his endorsement.
He also indicated plans to rally his political loyalists against Obi, accusing the former LP presidential flagbearer of squandering the support base, manpower and organisational network that helped him secure significant votes during the 2023 elections.
Abure disclosed his position during an interview with The Punch, where he discussed his political calculations and possible alliances ahead of the next general elections.
He explained that he was awaiting the Supreme Court’s verdict on the party’s leadership controversy but maintained that he would begin considering proposals from interested presidential contenders if the judgment was not delivered before the close of November.
According to him, any political partnership must reflect his group’s interests and ideological position, while the candidate involved must also enjoy sufficient public acceptance.
He said the political network that campaigned extensively for Obi in 2023 could become active again once an acceptable political arrangement had been reached.
Abure stated, “As for me, we are waiting for the Supreme Court to decide our case, and if the judgment is not coming before the end of this November, we will rationalise the offer of whoever wants our support.”
He added that he remained available for discussions with other major political figures but had already settled on the person he would not support in 2027.
Drawing an analogy from a statement credited to former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, Abure said he was certain about whom he would reject, even though he had yet to identify his preferred candidate.
He declared that Obi’s presence in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) had effectively removed the party from consideration as a possible political destination for his group.
The former LP chairman also stressed that he had not opened discussions with Tinubu, Atiku or any other presidential aspirant, explaining that his decision would involve consultations with his supporters.
Abure further alleged that Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, weakened his political influence by removing individuals loyal to his leadership from party positions across different levels of the Labour Party.
He maintained that several members of his former political structure had continued to recognise his leadership despite defections by some supporters to other platforms.
Describing the alleged changes as damaging to the party, Abure insisted that those involved had undermined the organisation’s internal structure.
He also questioned Obi’s leadership credentials, arguing that the former governor’s handling of internal Labour Party affairs had become a factor in how people assessed his capacity to govern Nigeria.
Abure maintained that his political camp would remain open to alternative alliances as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
