Factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has dismissed speculations that reconciliation talks between his camp and Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, collapsed over alleged financial demands, insisting that money was never discussed during the closed-door meeting.

Abure disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH amid a lingering leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.

The development comes barely one month after Otti declared that the Labour Party remained open to reconciliation with Abure and his loyalists ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Abia governor had made the remark during the inaugural meeting of the party’s National Working Committee held at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, where he attended as an observer.

But speaking with our correspondent, Abure clarified that the recent engagement with Otti was strictly convened to explore reconciliation and chart a path toward unity within the party, but eventually ended in a deadlock over disagreements surrounding the control and structure of the party.

According to him, the talks failed because Otti allegedly insisted that the existing party structure be dissolved before any reconciliation could move forward.

He said, “We need to make it categorically clear that the meeting we had with Governor Otti was purely for reconciliation and how to forge ahead. But that meeting produced no headway because the governor refused to give an inch due to his earlier recalcitrant stand.

“First, to share the positions in the NWC. Secondly, to take his governorship ticket and produce all the state House of Assembly candidates, including all the candidates for House of Representatives and Senate in Abia state.

“Lastly, to produce any other governorship, House of Representatives and senatorial candidates in other states where he might have an interest.

“We further conceded the offices of the National Secretary and other key national offices. But with all these sacrifices from the leadership, the governor declined all the proposals and insisted that all positions in the NWC have already been filled by him, while offering us the Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees.”

Abure also rejected allegations that he demanded financial inducement from the governor as part of the reconciliation process, describing the claims as false and deliberate misinformation.

“We also need to make it very clear that a lot of misconceptions have been spreading, probably deliberately, that the leadership of the Labour Party requested huge sums of money from Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, to reconcile.

“At no time was the issue of money discussed. Nobody made any financial requests, and nobody offered any money to anyone. We are therefore calling on all party members and supporters to disregard the fake news, whose sources are not too difficult to decipher,” he clarified.

The factional chairman expressed disappointment over the outcome of the reconciliation effort, blaming what he described as Otti’s intransigence for the collapse of the talks.

Abure further stated that his leadership would continue efforts to “recover the party” from what he termed “political buccaneers and merchants” allegedly bent on destabilising the Labour Party.

He also expressed confidence that the lingering leadership dispute would eventually be resolved by the Supreme Court following the appeal filed at the apex court.

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The Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led interim factional National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday, screened 12 governorship aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections, while granting automatic clearance to former President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s sole presidential aspirant.

Chairman of the PDP INWC screening committee and former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, represented by former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, made the disclosure while answering questions from journalists after the screening exercise in Abuja on Tuesday.

Reacting, the African Democratic Congress, said Jonathan’s joining the presidential race will alter the country’s political calculations and trigger fresh strategic thinking across party lines.

Jonathan, who served as President between 2010 and 2015, was reportedly granted a waiver on Tuesday by a PDP screening panel headed by Aliyu, paving the way for a possible return to the presidential race.

Though the development is yet to receive formal confirmation from the national leadership of the PDP, it has already generated intense debate within political circles, with analysts suggesting that Jonathan’s re-emergence could reshape alignments ahead of the next general election.

Earlier, a former presidential aide and chieftain of the PDP, Umar Sani, alleged that Jonathan had already obtained a presidential nomination form ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sani, who served as Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former Vice President Sambo, made the assertion during an appearance on Trust TV on Tuesday.

His comments come amid renewed political consultations involving Jonathan across various political blocs, sparking fresh speculation that the former president may be considering a return to active politics nearly 12 years after leaving office.

Although Jonathan has yet to officially declare his ambition or reveal the platform under which he may contest, Sani hinted that the lingering internal crisis within the PDP may be responsible for the former president’s cautious posture.

He also rejected claims that the party was merely attempting to exploit Jonathan’s popularity for political advantage.

Sani stated, “The issue is not about whether we will extract commitment from him. What is most important in politics is action.

“If your action suggests you are interested, there are certain actions to follow. One of which is the procurement of the nomination form.

“He has procured the nomination form. In fact, he is about to come and submit the forms publicly. So it is not an issue of whether we are trying to bring or use him for our face-saving grace, whatever. No.

“The fact of the matter is that we believe that Jonathan is the right choice at this moment. We are very confident that the matter will be thrown out because you cannot relitigate something that has already been decided upon,” Sani said.

According to him, only the Supreme Court could overturn earlier decisions on Jonathan’s eligibility, insisting that the pending matter before Justice Peter Lifu would likely be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction when it comes up on May 26.

The PDP chieftain also dismissed claims that Jonathan’s supporters were merely exploiting his name for political relevance, insisting that many Nigerians remained emotionally attached to the former president due to memories of his administration.

“Most Nigerians know him and are nostalgic about Jonathan. At the time he left office, many people felt the PDP was not performing, but now Nigerians have seen the difference clearly,” he added.

The chairman of the screening committee explained that the party had granted a screening waiver to a presidential aspirant due to his extensive political background, effectively clearing Jonathan as the PDP’s candidate.

He also noted that a similar waiver was given to former Oyo State Deputy Governor, Taofeek Arapaja, adding that while other aspirants were still being screened, Jonathan remained the only confirmed presidential aspirant of the party.

He stated, “The party had already given a presidential aspirant a waiver from screening. As I said in the beginning, he was deputy governor, became governor, became vice president, and became president, so we did not see anything that required screening.

“Therefore, the party granted him a waiver. In other words, he has been declared and cleared as the PDP candidate for the presidential election, and that is former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“The other waiver is for the former deputy governor, ambassador, and secretary of the party, Taofeek Arapaja, who, for many reasons, had to remain in Ibadan, Oyo State, to ensure that everything went well. So, we also declared that he had been granted a waiver by the party.

“The others, as I am sure you have interacted with many of them who came here, include two aspirants from Taraba, one from Adamawa, one from Kano, one from Akwa Ibom, one from Delta, and another from Kano.

“Anytime the other aspirants come within the screening period, we will continue the screening exercise,” he said.

A Kebbi State Governorship aspirant, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Manga, confirmed that he was successfully cleared after submitting his nomination form and undergoing screening to contest the governorship of Kebbi State.

Also, Delta governorship aspirant Benedict Etanabene said he joined the PDP after the Labour Party dissolved its state structures, questioning its viability in Delta State and criticising its reported support for the sitting president.

PDP governorship candidate in Yobe State, Sharif Abdullahi, said he is contesting again in 2027 after participating in the 2023 election, adding that if elected, he would focus on improving education, healthcare, and agriculture in the state.

Earlier, the Turaki faction had disclosed that a total of 2,122 aspirants are expected to be screened for state Houses of Assembly, 748 for the House of Representatives, 198 senatorial aspirants, 112 governorship aspirants, and one presidential aspirant.

On April 30, the Supreme Court, in a close 3–2 decision, invalidated the PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16.

The convention, which had the backing of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, had produced a leadership headed by Turaki (SAN).

In response to the judgment, the Board of Trustees Chairman, aligned with the Makinde faction, Adolphus Wabara, argued that the Supreme Court’s position on the suspension of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s ally and PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, along with others, suggested that the party currently lacks a legally recognised leadership structure.

Following this development, the 103rd National Executive Committee meeting of the Makinde bloc of the PDP, held on Monday, approved a 13-member Caretaker Committee headed by Turaki (SAN) as chairman to oversee party affairs.

Reacting to Jonathan’s emergence in a statement posted on its verified X handle, @ADCVANGUARD, the ADC said Jonathan’s potential candidacy introduced a new layer of complexity for both the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition parties preparing for 2027.

The party said, “Jonathan’s possible return will shake the PDP, disturb APC calculations, unsettle Labour Party sympathisers, and force every political camp to rethink strategy.

“Whether people like him or not, GEJ remains one of the few Nigerian politicians whose name still carries national emotion. Some remember him for peacefully conceding defeat. Others criticise his administration. But nobody can deny that his entrance into the race changes the conversation.”

The ADC further described the reported clearance as more than an internal PDP affair, arguing that it signalled the return of old political forces ahead of what could become one of Nigeria’s most fiercely contested elections since 1999.

“The PDP screening committee clearing former President Goodluck Jonathan on waiver to contest the 2027 presidential election is not just another party headline.

“It is a political signal. It means one thing clearly: the old forces are returning to the battlefield, and every major bloc is now preparing for a serious national contest,” the party stated.

Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid to former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, has remained an influential political figure on the continent, largely through diplomatic and peace-building engagements across Africa.

Over the years, there have been repeated calls from political groups urging him to return to active politics, particularly following growing public dissatisfaction with economic conditions and governance challenges.

The ADC argued that the former president’s perceived moderation and national appeal could pose a fresh challenge to President Bola Tinubu and the APC, especially amid rising public frustration over inflation, insecurity and the cost of living crisis.

“For APC, this is another headache. Tinubu is already battling public anger over hardship, insecurity, inflation, and broken expectations.

“Now imagine facing a former president with nostalgia value, a soft public image, and a familiar national network. That is not a small challenge,” the party added.

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Ahead of Thursday’s governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), resistance to consensus arrangements has intensified in at least 10 states, as several aspirants rejected pressure to step down and insisted on testing their popularity at the polls.

The growing pushback comes despite efforts by party leaders and governors in many states to streamline the primaries through endorsements, negotiations, and consensus agreements aimed at avoiding divisive contests ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Investigations by The PUNCH showed that while incumbent governors in several APC-controlled states have successfully secured consensus backing for second-term tickets, succession battles in states such as Kwara, Gombe, Oyo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Lagos, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Yobe remain fiercely contested.

The APC had fixed the cost of its governorship expression of interest form at N10m and nomination form at N40m. Findings indicated that the ruling party generated about N5.05bn from the sale of forms to 101 governorship aspirants nationwide.

The party is scheduled to conduct governorship primaries in 28 states on Thursday, May 21, with direct primaries to be adopted in states where consensus arrangements fail. Appeals arising from the exercises are expected to be heard on May 24.

Consensus gains ground

Despite growing internal resistance in some chapters, no fewer than 11 governors and sole aspirants have already secured overwhelming backing from party structures.

Among those who emerged as consensus candidates are Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), and Ogbonna Nwifuru (Ebonyi).

Party leaders in those states described the arrangements as strategic moves to preserve internal stability and avoid unnecessary factional crises.

In Sokoto, a party stalwart, Abubakar Umar, said members had unanimously resolved to back Governor Ahmed Aliyu for a second term.

“We don’t have any other contestant apart from Governor Ahmed Aliyu. As was the case in the previous primaries, what remains is simply the ratification of his candidacy for another term,” he said.

Similarly, a Kebbi APC chieftain, Abdullahi Zuru, confirmed that Governor Nasir Idris had secured the backing of party stakeholders across the state.

“The party has agreed to present only the governor as its candidate. There is no opposition to his second-term ambition within the party,” he stated.

In Jigawa, the state APC chairman, MK Garba, said the party had settled for Governor Umar Namadi as its sole governorship aspirant.

“We don’t have any other contestant apart from Governor Umar Namadi. The process will simply ratify the consensus already reached by party leaders and members,” he explained.

Speaking on Tuesday in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Garba said the party remains united in its support for the governor.

He explained that the process in Jigawa will mirror previous primaries where consensus was used to avoid rancour.

“As was the case in the other primaries we held before now, we will only have to confirm the ratification of his candidacy for a second term,” he said.

Kwara succession battle

However, consensus efforts have suffered major setbacks in Kwara State, where 15 aspirants are preparing to confront Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s preferred candidate, Amb Yahaya Seriki.

The governor had on Tuesday publicly endorsed Seriki as his preferred successor after what he described as “extensive consultations” with party leaders and stakeholders.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, AbdulRazaq said Seriki possessed the capacity and political reach required to sustain the administration’s achievements.

“Following extensive consultations with party structures and leadership, I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the APC,” the governor stated.

He described Seriki as “young, pro-people, astute and broad-minded,” adding that the businessman and political mobiliser enjoyed “profound investments and extensive goodwill among the people of Kwara State.”

The governor, however, stressed that his endorsement did not invalidate the ambitions of other aspirants.

“While this does not in any way preclude all other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki for cohesion, unity and continuous success of the party,” he added.

The endorsement was followed immediately by a flurry of approvals from grassroots leaders, top politicians, aspirants, and transport unions in the state.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Salihu Yakubu-Danladi, who stepped down from the race, congratulated Seriki over the endorsement and pledged to work for him.

NILD Director-General Prof. Abubakar Suleiman said he would no longer be participating in the race after the announcement.

The entire party structure is also poised to announce their support, with all the Local Government APC chairmen in Kwara Central and Kwara South having sent their endorsement for the nominee.

The Kwara State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria also congratulated Seriki, while key sociocultural platforms in Kwara Central sent their congratulations.

Kwara ALGON chairman, Abdullahi Danladi, said in a statement that “local government chairmen across the state are in full support of the governor’s decision.”

At least five strong party blocs are to hold various endorsement engagements for the nominee on Wednesday, practically guaranteeing his emergence at the primaries that are slated for Thursday.

Tens of thousands of party enthusiasts and supporters thronged the Tunde Idiagbon International Stadium, Ilorin to welcome Seriki just about three hours after his name was announced.

However, despite the endorsement, party sources told The PUNCH that several aspirants had rejected moves to step down, insisting on participating in Thursday’s direct primary election.

A senior party official in Ilorin, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said many aspirants believed the race should be decided democratically.

“The governor may have made his preference known, but many aspirants are not willing to surrender their ambitions. They believe the ticket should be determined through open contest and not predetermined arrangements,” the source said.

Kwara currently has the highest number of APC governorship aspirants in the country with 14 contenders, including former Senate Leader Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Muhammed Belgore (SAN), and Salihu Mustapha.

Others are Olufemi Sanni, Mohammed Bio, Dr. Alabi Tajudeen, Amb. Yahaya Abdulfatai, Tajudeen Abdulkadir, Azeez Muideen, Bashir Bolanrinwa, Ahmad Mahmoud, Yetunde Bello, Mahalia Pategi and Prof. Olawale Sulaiman.

Other states

Oyo State followed closely with 11 governorship aspirants, while Adamawa recorded 10 contenders, reflecting heightened political activity ahead of the primaries.

Notable aspirants include former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Senator Sharafadeen Alli; Akeem Agbaje and Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin.

Adamawa’s crowded field includes Abdulrazak Namdas, Mustapha Salihu, Senator Aminu Abbas, Abdurahaman  Haske, Felix Tangwami, Joel Madaki, Bello Ibrahim and three others.

Bauchi also recorded eight aspirants, among them the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, and former governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.

In Abia State, the party recorded four aspirants namely Mascot Uzor-Kalu, Henry Ikoh, Martins Azubuike, and Opah Chinemeucheya.

Benue State has four aspirants – Mathias Byuan, Kuraun Isaac, Akutah Ukeyima and Terwase Orbunde – vying for the state’s top job against Governor Hyacinth Alia.

Gombe State recorded two aspirants – Senator Sa’id Alkali, who is vying against Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s preferred candidate Jamil Gwamna.

Party insiders said the large number of aspirants in the affected states reflected unresolved zoning interests, succession calculations, and dissatisfaction among stakeholders over attempts to impose preferred candidates.

In Plateau State, one of the two governorship aspirants, retired military officer Yilcini Bida, dismissed reports that he had stepped down for Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

Speaking on Tuesday, Bida insisted he was fully in the race and was prepared to challenge the incumbent governor at the primary.

“I want to inform the people of Plateau State that I am still in the race. Rumours are flying around that I have stepped down, but I remain fully committed to contesting the primary on Thursday,” he said.

Bida said his administration, if elected, would focus heavily on infrastructure renewal, economic development, and security reforms.

“On the lighting project alone, we intend to spend N1tn within one year. We are also proposing the construction of 40km of road in each local government area,” he said.

On insecurity, the retired officer promised to strengthen Operation Rainbow, the state-owned security outfit.

“As a former military officer, I understand what it takes to restore peace and security in the state. We plan to recruit personnel from rural communities to improve operational efficiency,” he added.

Bida said he was confident of winning the primary despite facing an incumbent governor.

Lagos succession permutations

Political negotiations also intensified in Lagos State as aspirants continued to align behind Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

One of the governorship aspirants, Samuel Ajose, formally withdrew from the race on Tuesday and announced his support for Hamzat.

Ajose described the decision as painful but necessary for party unity.

“I know it is a very tough decision. I struggled with it overnight, but when I woke up in the morning, I had my peace,” he said.

“In the interest of the party, I have decided to step aside and support Hamzat. We are going to be part of his campaign and play an important role,” he added.

His withdrawal came weeks after former PDP governorship candidate Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, also stepped down and endorsed Hamzat following consultations with APC leaders.

Jandor said his withdrawal followed the endorsement of Hamzat by President Bola Tinubu and APC leaders in Lagos State.

“Following the endorsement of Dr. Kadiri Hamzat by our leader, the President of Nigeria, and leaders of our party in Lagos, and in recognition of the prevailing realities within the political landscape of our great party, I have decided to withdraw from the 2027 Lagos State gubernatorial race,” Jandor had said.

The former PDP governorship candidate described the decision as a sacrifice made for party cohesion and unity, while pledging loyalty to the APC leadership structure.

However, businessman and politician Lanre Jim-Kamal, who formally declared his intention to contest the APC Lagos governorship ticket last month, has reportedly not stepped down from the race.

Jim-Kamal, who made his declaration in Ikeja before party leaders, supporters and political stakeholders, also introduced a five-point agenda and a claimed $50bn partners’ investment proposal for the state.

Consensus deal

An APC list obtained by The PUNCH showed that several states recorded only one governorship aspirant, highlighting stronger consensus structures in those chapters.

These include Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Ogun and Zamfara.

Political analysts within the party said the contrasting developments across states underscored the APC’s challenge of balancing internal democracy with political stability ahead of the 2027 elections.

A party source at the national secretariat noted that while consensus remained the preferred option of the leadership, resistance from aspirants in several states could trigger intense primaries and deepen internal divisions if not properly managed.

“The party leadership wants consensus because it reduces conflict and litigation, but many aspirants believe they have invested too much politically and financially to simply step down. That is why some states are becoming battlegrounds,” the source said.