…Says nationwide NLC, TUC structures give it edge
By John Alechenu
ABUJA — The Labour Party (LP) has urged opposition groups and political movements to shelve plans for new alliances and instead align with its platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said it already possesses the strongest nationwide structure capable of unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa.
According to the LP, while it supports broad-based collaboration among opposition forces, creating new political platforms or fragmented alliances would only weaken the opposition.
Asogwa said the Labour Party already represents the most viable platform for a united opposition.
“While the Labour Party appreciates the need for broad-based collaboration among opposition forces to democratically unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, the party maintains that its platform already represents the strongest and most organically structured coalition capable of winning a presidential election in Nigeria.
“The Labour Party is unique among all political parties because the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress are its institutional members. By implication, every serving and retired civil servant across the country is naturally connected to the Labour Party family through these labour institutions.
“That gives the Labour Party an unrivalled grassroots presence. There is hardly any polling unit, ward, local government or community in Nigeria that does not have a serving or retired civil servant. No other political party, including the APC, can genuinely boast of such an extensive nationwide structure.”
The party called on individuals and groups advocating a grand opposition coalition to strengthen the Labour Party instead of establishing new platforms.
According to the statement, “Rather than creating new platforms or fragmented alliances, the national interest would be better served by strengthening the one opposition party that already possesses a tested nationwide network and institutional foundation.”
The LP also said it has a formidable organisational structure, an energised membership base and “a credible presidential candidate who is young, well-educated and possesses the capacity to provide the visionary leadership Nigerians seek.”
“It would therefore be politically unwise to sacrifice such enormous institutional advantages on the altar of an unnecessary coalition arrangement,” the party added.
Asogwa maintained that the opposition’s task ahead of the 2027 elections is not to create another platform but to unite behind what he described as the most viable existing platform.
“The task before the opposition is not to reinvent the wheel but to unite behind the most viable platform. That platform is the Labour Party,” he said.
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