Labour Party (Nigeria)

The party was formed in 2002 as the Party for Social Democracy, and was established by the Nigeria Labour Congress. Its name was officially changed to the Labour Party after the 2003 general election.{{Cite web |last=Lagos |first=Oke Ogunde in |title=Nigerian Labour Party: What manner of Workers' Party? |url=https://www.marxist.com/labour-workers-party-nigeria150307.htm |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=In Defence of Marxism |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |title=Nigeria's Election Could Break the Political Mold, But It Won't End the Social Crisis |url=https://jacobin.com/2023/02/nigeria-election-peter-obi-labour-party |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=jacobin.com |language=en-US}}

In 2007, Olusegun Mimiko, ran successfully as governor of Ondo State under the banner of the Labour Party for a period of two terms (2009–2017), only to return to the PDP in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Obadare |first=Ebenezer |title=Will Obi Reinvigorate the Nigerian Labor Movement? |url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/will-obi-reinvigorate-nigerian-labor-movement |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Council on Foreign Relations |language=en}}

After the late National Chairman Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam died in 2020,{{Cite web |date=2020-12-29 |title=Just in: Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, Labour Party National Chairman is dead |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/just-in-abdulkadir-abdulsalam-labour-party-national-chairman-is-dead/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB}} the party went through a serious leadership crisis. Barrister Julius Abure, who was the National Secretary of the Labour Party, was elected as the new National Chairman by the Labour Party National Executive Council (NEC) in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-29 |title=Labour Party Gets New National Chairman |url=https://thewhistler.ng/labour-party-gets-new-national-chairman/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Whistler Newspaper |language=en-GB}} The former Deputy National Chairman of the party Calistus Okafor, challenged Barrister Julius Abure after he claimed to be the authentic National Chairman of the party by virtue of his position.{{Cite web |title=Labour Party Crisis Worsens as Court Okays Factional Leader's Fresh Suit. The party is currently embroiled in crisis with two different factional Chairman, One being led by Alhaji Lamidi Apapa and the other one by Julius Abure. |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/06/02/labour-party-crisis-worsens-as-court-okays-factional-leaders-fresh-suit/}}

Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, joined the party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party a proactive decision prompted by his inability to gain the necessary support needed to win in the fast approaching PDP primaries. He emerged as the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour party after Pat Utomi, Faduri Joseph and Olubusola Emmanuel-Tella stepped down from the contest, making him the only aspirant in the presidential primaries.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-30 |title=UPDATED: Real reason Peter Obi left PDP for Labour Party |url=https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/11/real-reason-peter-obi-left-pdp-for-labour-party-wike/?amp=1.html |access-date=2022-06-03 |language=en-GB}} Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour emerged as the governorship candidate of the party in Lagos state.{{Cite web |last=Adelagun |first=Oluwakemi |date=2022-08-31 |title=Labour Party unveils Rhodes-Vivour as Lagos guber candidate presents certificate of return |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/551607-labour-party-unveils-rhodes-vivour-as-lagos-guber-candidate-presents-certificate-of-return.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Premium Times Nigeria |language=en-GB}}

Just before the 2023 Nigerian general election, the party obtained the support of both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. The trade union federations advised their members to vote for Peter Obi.{{Cite web |last=Ibeh |first=Nnenna |date=2023-02-22 |title="Vote for Peter Obi," Nigeria Labour Congress tells all workers |url=https://www.legit.ng/politics/1521343-3-days-2023-election-nigeria-labour-congress-scatters-everywhere-tells-workers-vote/ |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=Legit.ng – Nigeria news. |language=en}} This was the first time the trade union federations expressed explicit support for a political party. Alex Otti, the Labour Party governorship candidate in Abia State became the only elected Governor in the party in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Ugwu |first=Chinagorom |date=2023-03-22 |title=It's Official: Labour Party's Alex Otti wins Abia governorship poll |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/589629-its-official-labour-partys-alex-otti-wins-abia-governorship-poll.html |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=Premium Times Nigeria |language=en-GB}}

The logo of the party is a wheel with a man and woman with a child engraved in the centre.

The wheel stands for industry and work as basis for economic empowerment of the populace and the prosperity of the nation, i.e. continuous economic growth and development. The linkage, between the wheel and man, woman and child connotes that governance, economic and social development must lead to the advancement of human beings.

The flag of the party is red and green, both equal in size, placed vertically, with Red representing transformation and Green representing agriculture. The logo of the Party is at the centre of the flag.{{Cite web |title=LP Constitution |url=https://www.inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LP-Constitution.pdf |website=Labor Party}}

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Category:2002 establishments in Nigeria

Category:Centre-left parties

Category:Labour parties

Category:Political parties established in 2002

Category:Political parties in Nigeria

Category:Social democratic parties in Nigeria