Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, has stated that the congress was not privy to any discussions regarding a potential merger involving the Labour Party (LP) and other political parties in Nigeria. The LP, established by organized labor, operates as a socio-democratic political entity.
Speculations have arisen regarding a potential merger between the LP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following meetings between Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and key figures from the PDP, including Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 elections. Obi reportedly met with prominent PDP members such as former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido.
In the 2019 elections, Atiku and Obi contested on the PDP joint ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress. Following internal conflicts within the PDP, Obi left the party in 2022 and ran as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
After meeting with Obi on May 13, 2024, Atiku mentioned that party members would determine their future in the 2027 general elections. He indicated willingness to support Obi if the PDP decided to field a presidential candidate from the South-East region in 2027, potentially hinting at a future alliance.
When questioned about the NLC’s stance on merger talks involving the LP, Ajaero clarified that the NLC was not aware of any such discussions. This statement indicates that the organized labor body has not been involved in or informed about any plans for the LP to cease to exist or participate in merger talks with other parties.
