Labour Party Screens Maku, Two Presidential Aspirants

The Labour Party (LP) says it has screened two presidential hopefuls alongside senatorial aspirants ahead of its 2027 party primaries, including former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku.

The screening exercise was held on Friday at the party’s national headquarters, where candidates expressed support for the party’s consensus arrangements and zoning considerations ahead of the primaries.

The aspirants noted that while the consensus approach is not strictly contained in the party constitution, it remains a political understanding aimed at maintaining unity within the party.

During the process, a presidential aspirant from Benue State and former National Treasurer of the Obidient Movement, Dr Peter Agada, told the screening committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman that he had built a strong national network capable of supporting his ambition.

He said he had remained active within the party despite internal challenges, insisting that many loyal members still believe in the Labour Party structure.

“We will see the battle. We are hoping to fight,” he said, describing his readiness for a competitive primary process.

Another aspirant, 35-year-old Samuel Nwigwe from Ebonyi State, said his ambition was driven by concerns over corruption and governance failures in Nigeria.

He said Nigeria could achieve rapid development by adopting governance models from countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands, particularly in welfare delivery and institutional reforms.

Nwigwe stressed the need for stronger institutions, improved security systems, and urgent constitutional reforms to address insecurity and restore public trust in government.

He also argued that no nation develops by chance, adding that deliberate human effort and leadership discipline were required to transform Nigeria’s economy and governance structures.

Labaran Maku, on his part, pledged to push for national reforms and a new constitution if elected as senator on the LP platform.

He said insecurity in Nigeria is politically driven and called for the removal of violence from politics to enable sustainable development.

“The existing governance framework must be restructured to tackle insecurity and disunity,” he said, adding that his background in journalism and public service had shaped his commitment to accountability.