Labour Party Congresses Set for March Amid Major Reshuffle

By: Abudu Olalekan

So, the Labour Party is trying to get its house in order. Truth be told, it’s needed it for a while now. After all the public drama and internal squabbles, a joint meeting of the party’s top brass has finally laid out a plan. And it’s a big one. Reportersroom has learned that come March 2026, the party will kick off a series of congresses. From the ward level all the way up to a National Convention. That’s the formal spine of the thing.

But that’s not all. They’re also launching a nationwide “revalidation” drive. Fancy word for checking who’s still actually in the party. And signing up new members too. A whole committee is being set up just to oversee this. It signals a fresh start, or at least an attempt at one. The meeting, chaired by Abia State Governor Alex Otti himself, happened in Abuja on Saturday. The resolutions are clear, but the subtext is clearer: this party has been bleeding members and it’s time to stop the haemorrhage.

Here’s the thing though. You can’t talk about the Labour Party’s recent struggles without mentioning Peter Obi. And the statement from the meeting did just that. They expressed “regret” over his exit. Wish him well, they said. It’s a polite, political acknowledgement of the elephant that’s just left the room. The party’s 2023 presidential candidate is gone and his absence looms large over any rebuild. Governor Otti, briefing journalists, urged members to unite anyway. To build a stronger force. Easier said than done, perhaps.

There’s an olive branch being extended, too. To the faction led by the former National Chairman, Julius Abure. The NEC is calling on Abure and his team to “sheath their swords” and come back. A reconciliation committee is being established for folks willing to return. It’s an admission that the infighting has cost them. They’ve lost some National Assembly members, some caretaker committee officers. They admit that. But insist the party’s core remains strong. Resilient, even.

A bit of good news for them was shared. Governor Otti thanked INEC. Thanked them for recognising the Interim National Committee and putting their leadership names up on the INEC website. It’s a small win, but a crucial one. Compliance with court orders, solidifying their legitimacy. In the messy world of Nigerian party politics, that’s not nothing.

There’s a immediate setback, however. The party says it won’t be able to participate in the upcoming FCT area council elections. A missed opportunity to flex its renewed muscles. It’s a reminder that rebuilding takes time, and electoral politics waits for no one.

The roadmap is now set. Congresses from March. A membership drive. Reconciliation talks. The goal, as Otti assured supporters, is a stronger, more united party. But between the lines, the challenges are stark. Can a party rebuild its grassroots structure while its most iconic national figure is no longer there? Can it heal internal rifts that have spilled into public view for months? The March 2026 congresses will be the first real test. Not just of organization, but of whether this political force still has, well, force.

They’re urging Nigerians to join them. An open invitation. But the real work is inward. Revalidating the existing membership, that’s the first step. Figuring out who they are without Peter Obi, that’s the much harder one. The clock starts ticking now.