Labour Party youth leaders have proposed consultations with the All Progressives Congress and groups supporting President Bola Tinubu over a possible political alignment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The proposal followed a virtual meeting involving the party’s National Youth Leader, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, five national zonal youth leaders and 32 state youth leaders.
A statement signed by the Edo State Labour Party Youth Leader, Ken Omusi, said the meeting focused on the party’s political direction, its prolonged internal crisis and the future of youth participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The youth leaders reportedly mandated Ahanotu to begin consultations with the APC, Renewed Hope Movement, City Boy Movement and Tinubu Support Groups to explore possible political alignment and collaboration.
The statement said participants expressed concerns over what they described as inadequate recognition, engagement and support for the youth constituency during and after the 2023 general elections.
The leaders also discussed the Tinubu administration’s policies on human capital development, youth empowerment, economic reforms, infrastructure, healthcare, education, security, agriculture and workers’ welfare.
The statement said the participants expressed varying views on the policies and their implications for Nigeria’s development.
However, the proposed consultations do not amount to a formal endorsement of Tinubu or the APC at this stage.
The youth leaders said the proposed alignment would be considered after consultations with the relevant stakeholders.
They also proposed a physical meeting in Abuja to review the outcome of the consultations and determine their next steps.
The development comes amid continuing divisions within the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 elections.
In May, the Julius Abure-led faction of the party adopted Ahanotu as its presidential candidate at its parallel primaries in Abuja.
Another faction led by National Chairman Nenadi Usman subsequently announced Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate, highlighting the continuing leadership and candidate-selection dispute within the party.
The Labour Party’s divisions have persisted despite its strong performance in the 2023 presidential election.
The party’s candidate at the time, Peter Obi, polled 6,101,533 votes to finish third behind Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Obi’s campaign also helped turn the Labour Party into a significant national opposition platform, with the party winning the Abia governorship and securing seats in the National Assembly in the 2023 elections.
The latest proposal by Labour Party youth leaders comes as political realignments intensify ahead of 2027, with politicians and groups exploring alliances across traditional party lines.
For the Labour youth leaders, the immediate step is consultation.
The statement said Ahanotu would engage the identified groups before the participants reconvene to consider the outcome and decide on their next course of action.
