The Labour Party (LP) has been plunged into another wave of internal controversy following the disqualification of presidential aspirant, Arc. Peter Agada, from the party’s forthcoming presidential primary, with aggrieved stakeholders accusing the party leadership of injustice, political manipulation and financial exploitation.
In a lengthy statement jointly signed by Prince Temilade Craig and Dr Blessing Elaigwu on behalf of Labour Party stakeholders and supporters nationwide, the group condemned what it described as an “unconstitutional and unacceptable” action taken by the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the Governor Alex Otti-led National Executive Council (NEC).
The stakeholders alleged that Agada, whom they described as “the most prominent and saliently qualified presidential aspirant” in the party, was abruptly barred from participating in the presidential primary slated for Saturday, May 30, 2026, despite having fulfilled all requirements imposed by the party.
According to the statement, the decision to exclude Agada was communicated through a letter dated May 28, just days before the exercise, after he had allegedly spent huge sums on nomination processes and nationwide political mobilisation.
The aggrieved stakeholders claimed that Agada paid substantial amounts for presidential nomination forms, secretariat development levies and campaign activities across the federation, amounting to nearly N300 million within one month.
The statement noted that the aspirant had earlier undergone screening by the party on May 6, 2026, and was cleared to participate in the primary election.
“We received with great shock and dismay the unconstitutional and unacceptable decision taken by the Governor Alex Otti-led NEC and the National Working Committee headed by Senator Nenadi Usman to unlawfully bar Arc. Peter Agada from the party’s presidential primary,” the statement read.
The stakeholders accused the Labour Party leadership of introducing zoning as a basis for disqualification only at the final stage of the process, despite allegedly accepting payments and permitting the aspirant to campaign nationwide.
According to them, the NWC justified Agada’s exclusion on the grounds that the party’s April 28, 2026 national convention in Umuahia, Abia State, resolved to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
However, the stakeholders rejected the claim, insisting that there was no provision for zoning in the Labour Party constitution, either in its old or newly adopted version from the Umuahia convention.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no provision for zoning elective offices in the Labour Party constitution, past or current one emanating from the recent national convention of the party,” the statement asserted.
The group further questioned why the Nenadi Usman-led NWC allegedly collected about N150 million from Agada as presidential aspirant fees and proceeded to screen him if zoning had already been adopted as binding policy.
They argued that the decision to suddenly invoke zoning only three days before the primary election, after the aspirant had allegedly committed another N150 million to campaign structures and political activities nationwide, raised serious concerns about transparency and fairness within the party.
“At its mildest form, this is an unfair ransom robbery by the Sen. Nenadi Usman leadership of the Labour Party, tantamount to premeditated and calculated fraud,” the stakeholders alleged.
The statement also accused the party leadership of double standards and selective application of political principles.
The stakeholders cited developments in Edo State where, according to them, members of the same family were contesting for multiple elective offices under the party without objections from the national leadership.
“In Edo State, one of the NWC national officers is contesting for the Senate, his wife for the House of Representatives and his younger brother for the State House of Assembly, all from the same senatorial district,” the statement claimed.
They argued that if such arrangements were tolerated within the party, the sudden deployment of zoning principles against Agada amounted to discrimination and targeted exclusion.
Describing the action as “naked apartheid against the aspirant,” the stakeholders warned that the development could damage the party’s credibility and reinforce public perceptions of internal injustice and impunity within the Labour Party.
The group also accused the Nenadi Usman-led NWC and the Alex Otti-led NEC of interfering in party structures across several states since the Umuahia convention.
According to them, elected and convention-ratified state executives had allegedly been replaced with loyalists and political associates, including persons accused of previously working against the party or maintaining affiliations with rival political parties.
They maintained that such actions contradicted the Labour Party’s founding ideals of social justice, equal opportunity and internal democracy.
“The unfolding apartheid treatment of the Arc. Peter Agada presidential aspiration does not reflect the social justice and equal opportunity motto and ethos of the Labour Party,” the statement added.
The stakeholders therefore called on the Labour Party leadership to urgently reverse Agada’s disqualification and permit him to participate freely in the presidential primary.
They warned that failure to do so within the remaining hours before the commencement of the primary election would compel them and the Peter Agada Presidential Campaign Council to seek legal redress.
“Flowing from the above, we respectfully call on the Chairman Nenadi Usman leadership to urgently review its position and allow Arc. Peter Agada contest the presidential primaries without let or hindrance,” the statement concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, the national leadership of the Labour Party had not issued any official reaction to the allegations raised by the stakeholders.
