Factional National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Umar Farouk, has warned that former presidential candidate Peter Obi risks losing the party’s 2027 ticket if he continues associating with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV on Wednesday, Farouk stated that the LP’s presidential ticket is open to all qualified aspirants and is not automatically reserved for Obi.
He particularly pointed to Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s 2023 running mate, as a potential contender for the party’s top ticket.
“Datti is qualified to contest for the presidency just like Peter Obi,” Farouk said. “The candidacy is not reserved for anybody. It will be an open, competitive process. If Datti decides to run, he should pick up the nomination form, mobilise support, and contest.”
Farouk criticised Obi’s recent engagements with leaders of the ADC, describing them as “political romance” and warning that such actions could lead to disqualification.
“You cannot keep one leg in Labour Party and another elsewhere. If you don’t return fully to us, you may lose your chance,” he said.
His remarks come shortly after Datti Baba-Ahmed himself hinted at the possibility of joining the 2027 presidential race — though he maintained he would only run if Obi chooses not to, and reaffirmed his loyalty to his former principal.
“I am not desperate to be President,” Baba-Ahmed said recently. “Peter Obi deserves another opportunity to run.”
