Labour Party Youth Leaders Propose Talks With Tinubu Support Groups Ahead of 2027

A group of Labour Party youth leaders has proposed opening discussions with the All Progressives Congress and groups supporting President Bola Tinubu as the party’s youth wing considers its political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections. The proposal followed a virtual meeting involving the Labour Party’s National Youth Leader, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, five national zonal youth leaders and 32 state youth leaders. According to a statement signed by the Edo State Labour Party Youth Leader, Ken Omusi, the meeting was held on Friday to discuss the future of the party’s youth constituency amid the prolonged leadership crisis within the Labour Party and concerns over youth participation in Nigerian politics. The youth leaders subsequently asked Ahanotu to begin consultations with the APC, the Renewed Hope Movement, the City Boy Movement and Tinubu Support Groups over the possibility of political alignment and collaboration ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The proposal, however, does not amount to a formal endorsement of President Tinubu by the Labour Party. It is also not presented in the statement as a final decision on the party’s 2027 presidential candidate. Youth leaders cite lack of support The Labour Party youth leaders said their proposal was influenced by what they described as inadequate recognition, engagement and support for young people during and after the 2023 general elections. According to the statement, participants expressed dissatisfaction with the level of opportunities available to the youth constituency and called for a political platform that would provide greater room for youth participation, leadership development and economic empowerment. The statement also referred to the 2023 presidential election, during which the Labour Party's candidate, Peter Obi, emerged as a major opposition figure. The youth leaders said they wanted to explore political relationships that could provide greater opportunities for young people to participate in national decision-making. They consequently mandated Ahanotu to begin consultations with relevant political groups and report back on the outcome. A physical meeting in Abuja was also proposed to review the consultations and determine the group's next steps. Tinubu policies discussed The meeting also considered the performance and policies of the Tinubu administration. The statement said participants discussed issues including human capital development, youth empowerment, economic reforms, infrastructure, healthcare, education, security, agriculture and workers' welfare. The youth leaders reportedly expressed different views about the policies and their effects on Nigerians. Their proposal for consultations with APC and Tinubu-support groups therefore appears to be part of a broader discussion about where the Labour Party's youth wing should position itself before the 2027 election. No final political alliance was announced in the statement. Instead, the group said further consultations and consensus-building would take place before any subsequent decision. Labour Party remains divided The development comes against the background of an extended leadership crisis within the Labour Party. Different factions of the party have taken competing positions over its leadership, presidential candidacies and political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections. In May 2026, the Julius Abure-led faction conducted its presidential primary and adopted Prince Kennedy Ahanotu as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election. Another faction subsequently produced Chibuzo Okereke as its own presidential candidate, highlighting the divisions within the party. The latest youth-wing proposal therefore comes at a time when the party's overall political direction remains contested. The distinction between the youth leaders' proposal and the official position of the Labour Party is particularly important. In April, the party had denied reports that it had endorsed President Tinubu for a second term, saying that such a decision could only be taken by the recognised organs of the party. The party's Sokoto State chairman and chairman of the Northern Labour Party Chairmen Forum, Abubakar Yawale, described an earlier claim of endorsement as false and unauthorised. Another Labour Party official, National Vice Chairman Ceekay Igara, also said at the time that only the National Executive Council could adopt a presidential candidate or make such a major decision on behalf of the party. Those earlier statements do not necessarily determine what the party will eventually decide in 2027, but they demonstrate that individual groups or officials should not automatically be treated as speaking for the entire party. Political realignments intensify ahead of 2027 The Labour Party youth leaders' proposal comes amid wider political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections. Opposition parties and political figures have been discussing alliances and possible cooperation, while several parties have also been working on their own presidential candidacies. The PUNCH previously reported that opposition parties had explored the possibility of presenting a single presidential candidate against Tinubu, although several parties and political figures subsequently expressed reservations about the arrangement. The Labour Party has also maintained a complicated relationship with the proposed opposition coalition. Earlier reporting showed that the party had distanced itself from the Ibadan summit that produced discussions around a single opposition candidate. Against that backdrop, the proposed consultations with APC and Tinubu-support groups could add another layer to the political realignment taking place ahead of 2027. For now, however, the development remains a proposal from Labour Party youth leaders. The group has asked its national youth leader to begin consultations, with further discussions expected before any decision on an alliance or collaboration is reached. Whether the proposal develops into a formal political arrangement will depend on the outcome of those consultations and subsequent decisions by the relevant Labour Party organs and other political stakeholders.