The Labour Party (LP) has wrapped up its primary elections in multiple states, producing candidates for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and state assembly seats ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In Abia State, Governor Alex Otti retained the party’s governorship ticket after polling 368,230 votes in a direct primary. Receiving his certificate of return at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Otti urged party candidates to shift focus to winning the general election.

He stressed that the real political contest had just begun, calling on aspirants to broaden their appeal beyond party members and engage undecided voters across the state.

“If you were not a candidate, you can’t fight. But now that you are a candidate, election is contention,” Otti said, adding that victory would depend on reaching out to the wider electorate.

He also commended the peaceful conduct of the primaries and accepted his nomination.

In Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe secured the party’s senatorial ticket, while Darlington Nwokocha and David Ogba Onuoha emerged candidates for Abia Central and Abia North, respectively.

In Benue State, Philip Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency in the House of Representatives, secured the Labour Party ticket for re-election after polling over 52,000 votes in direct primaries held across 35 wards.

Agbese, who defected from the All Progressives Congress in February 2026, described the exercise as a reflection of his growing support base and thanked constituents for their backing.

He said the Labour Party had recorded significant growth in the constituency, claiming membership had risen sharply since his defection.

Also in Benue, Samuel Onuh emerged unopposed as the party’s senatorial candidate for Benue South, while Mathias Byuan clinched the governorship ticket.

In Adamawa State, former Senator Ishaku Abbo emerged as the Labour Party governorship candidate.

In Imo State, former Ondo First Lady Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu secured the party’s ticket for Owerri federal constituency.

In Nasarawa State, Jonathan Gaza emerged as the Labour Party governorship candidate after a special nomination congress in Lafia, while former Minister Labaran Maku was returned unopposed as the party’s candidate for Nasarawa North senatorial district.

Gaza, in his acceptance speech, promised transformative leadership and pledged to improve governance in the state if elected.

The Labour Party also completed consensus primaries in Rivers and Sokoto states. In Rivers, Chima Boms emerged as governorship candidate, while former NLC chairperson Beatrice Itubo secured the senatorial ticket for Rivers East.

In Sokoto, Aminu Umar Ahmad emerged as governorship candidate through a consensus process endorsed by party stakeholders, with party officials describing the exercise as peaceful and orderly.

Across the states, party leaders and returning officers described the primaries as transparent, credible, and largely peaceful, marking a major step in Labour Party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.