Otti, Labour Leaders Push Reforms, Unity Ahead of 2027 Elections

Otti, Labour Leaders Push Reforms, Unity Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has called for unity, structural consolidation and disciplined grassroots mobilisation within the Labour Party as key strategies for a stronger outing in the 2027 General Elections.

Otti, who was represented by his Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, made the call at a one-day High-Level Strategic Multi-Level Stakeholders’ Summit held at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

The summit was convened by the party’s national leadership in collaboration with the political commissions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC). It drew party leaders, labour representatives, lawmakers, as well as youth and women groups from across the country.

Speaking on the theme, “Reuniting the Labour Family: Consolidating Strength for Sustainable Political Impact in the 2027 General Elections,” the governor emphasised that internal cohesion would ultimately determine the party’s electoral success.

“Politics, like governance, thrives on unity of purpose,” he said, noting that the strength of any political movement lies in its clarity of vision, discipline and shared conviction rather than mere numbers.

He cited ongoing reforms and development efforts in Abia State as a reflection of the party’s commitment to accountable, people-centred governance, urging stakeholders to replicate such a model nationwide. According to him, genuine reconciliation within the party must extend beyond settling differences to rebuilding trust, strengthening structures and ensuring inclusiveness from the ward to the national level.

Looking ahead to 2027, Otti stressed the importance of early preparation, strategic coordination and sustained grassroots engagement, observing that electoral victories are built through consistent interaction with the electorate and credible governance.

Also addressing participants, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Nenadi Usman, said lessons from the 2023 general elections underscored the need for a solid grassroots structure anchored on labour institutions.

She highlighted the importance of credible membership registration at the polling unit level through the NLC, TUC and their affiliates, noting that the absence of a comprehensive membership database in 2023 created challenges in planning and post-election processes.

Usman advocated the development of a reliable membership register and the deployment of registered members as polling unit agents, stressing the need for proper documentation and safeguarding of Form EC8A at every polling unit to secure the party’s votes.

In his remarks, the Acting Chairman of the NLC Political Commission, Comrade Stephen Okoro, described the renewed collaboration between the party and organised labour as a return to its ideological roots. He assured stakeholders that workers nationwide would be mobilised in large numbers for the upcoming national membership registration and validation exercise.

The summit concluded with renewed commitments from party leaders and labour institutions to strengthen unity, deepen grassroots structures and establish a disciplined electoral framework capable of mobilising and defending votes across the country in 2027.