The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party has ratified the nomination of Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, alongside Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and 1,209 other candidates for various elective positions across the country.
The ratification was carried out on Thursday during the party’s hybrid NEC meeting held at its National Secretariat in Abuja.
Presenting the report of the party’s 2026 primary elections, National Secretary of the Labour Party, Rt. Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, disclosed that the party successfully conducted its primaries on May 30, 2026, across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in compliance with the Constitution, Electoral Act 2026, party guidelines and regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Obioma, the party nominated candidates for the offices of President, Governor, Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly through a combination of consensus and direct primary elections.
He said the primaries produced a total of 1,211 candidates out of 1,491 available elective positions nationwide.
Providing a breakdown, Obioma stated that Dr. Okereke emerged as the party’s sole presidential candidate, while 28 governorship candidates, including Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, were nominated to contest gubernatorial elections.
He added that the party also produced 99 senatorial candidates, 307 House of Representatives candidates and 776 State House of Assembly candidates.
“The Labour Party primary elections were conducted peacefully, transparently and in substantial compliance with all extant laws, regulations and guidelines governing the nomination of candidates by political parties,” Obioma said.
He subsequently requested the NEC to ratify the list of successful candidates and authorize the transmission of their names and particulars to INEC in line with the Electoral Act and party constitution.
The NEC unanimously approved the report and ratified all nominated candidates for the 2027 general election.
In his acceptance speech after receiving his certificate of return as Labour Party presidential candidate, Dr. Okereke pledged to provide visionary leadership and restore public confidence in governance.
He described the Labour Party as the “party of first choice” and the political platform for workers, ordinary citizens, artisans, farmers, students, professionals and social justice advocates.
“I accept my nomination as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2027 general elections with gratitude and a full understanding of the weight of this responsibility,” he declared.
Okereke unveiled his campaign vision tagged “Nigerians First! Believe Again,” which he said would place citizens at the centre of governance and national development.
According to him, successive governments have focused more on preserving political power than improving the welfare of citizens, resulting in widespread poverty, insecurity, unemployment, poor healthcare and declining trust in public institutions.
“Our vision offers a fundamental shift in governance. We believe that when Nigerians prosper, Nigeria prospers. The purpose of government is to serve the people, and no Nigerian should live as though there is no government,” he said.
The Labour Party presidential candidate promised to prioritize national security, economic recovery, food security, quality education, healthcare, institutional reforms, job creation and national unity if elected president.
He also proposed sweeping reforms, including decentralisation of the national power grid, merit-based recruitment into public institutions, reforms in public procurement processes, and increased investments in education and human capital development.
On national security, Okereke said his administration would adopt a whole-of-society approach to combating insecurity and rebuilding confidence in the country’s security architecture.
He further pledged to promote social cohesion, strengthen institutions, and ensure that governance is driven by service rather than politics.
Addressing various segments of the Nigerian population, including youths, women, workers, pensioners, farmers and members of the diaspora, Okereke repeatedly urged citizens to “Believe Again” in the country’s future.
“Nigeria suffers not only from economic and security challenges but also from a crisis of confidence. Millions of Nigerians no longer believe that government can work, that institutions can be trusted, or that merit can prevail. We must restore that belief,” he said.
The Labour Party standard bearer expressed optimism that Nigeria could overcome its current challenges through responsible leadership, strong institutions and citizen-focused governance.
