Labour Party Unveils 1,211 Candidates for 2027 Polls, Confirms Okereke as Presidential Standard-Bearer
The Labour Party has formally unveiled 1,211 candidates for the 2027 General Elections, signaling its readiness for a nationwide electoral contest and confirming Dr. Sunday Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential flag-bearer.
The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) ratified the candidates during a hybrid meeting held on Thursday at the party’s National Secretariat in Utako, Abuja, following the presentation of reports from its nationwide primary elections conducted on May 30, 2026.
Presenting the report, the National Secretary and Secretary of NEC, Rt. Hon. Iheanacho Obioma, said the primaries were successfully conducted across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in line with constitutional provisions, the Electoral Act 2026, Labour Party regulations, and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the exercise marked the culmination of months of preparations, including a nationwide membership registration and revalidation exercise, submission of party registers to INEC, screening of aspirants, publication of guidelines, and the conduct of transparent nomination processes across the country.
Obioma said the party adopted both consensus and direct primary methods to produce candidates for the presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State Houses of Assembly elections.
“The reports received from across the federation indicate that the primaries were conducted peacefully, transparently and in substantial compliance with all extant laws and regulations governing the nomination of candidates by political parties,” he stated.
The NEC ratification confirmed Dr. Sunday Chibuzo Okereke as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, placing him at the forefront of Labour Party’s bid to capture power at the national level.
The party also achieved full coverage in the governorship category, producing candidates in all 28 states scheduled for gubernatorial elections. Among the notable candidates are Dr. Alex Chioma Otti for Abia State, Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbafwi for Nasarawa State, Senator Elisha Ishaku for Adamawa State, Hon. Byuan Mathias Tewase for Benue State, and Dr. Halilu Ma’azu Zubairu for Gombe State.
In the legislative contests, Labour Party produced 99 senatorial candidates out of the 109 available seats, 307 candidates for the House of Representatives out of 360 constituencies, and 776 candidates for State Houses of Assembly across the country.
Overall, the party successfully filled 1,211 out of the 1,491 elective positions available nationwide, representing about 81 percent coverage ahead of the 2027 elections.
Party leaders described the exercise as a demonstration of Labour Party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency, inclusiveness, and adherence to the rule of law.
With the ratification completed, NEC authorized the submission of the names and particulars of all successful candidates to INEC, effectively setting the stage for the party’s nationwide campaign activities.
The development is expected to strengthen Labour Party’s preparations for the 2027 General Elections as it seeks to expand its political influence and consolidate its presence across the federation
