Labour Party Shifts All Primaries to May 30 for Sallah Holiday

ABUJA — The Labour Party has rescheduled all its primary elections, including presidential, governorship, and legislative contests, to Friday, May 30, 2026. The party said it made the decision to allow members to observe the Sallah holiday and Democracy Day before participating in the primaries.

LP National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh confirmed the new date on Thursday. He said the party’s National Working Committee approved the change unanimously. He assured INEC that the exercises will be completed within the commission’s prescribed window.

“The Labour Party remains committed to a transparent and credible primary process. We are rescheduling to ensure maximum participation from our members across all geopolitical zones,” Ifoh said.

The decision to hold all primaries on a single day is unusual. Most parties have spread their exercises across several days to manage logistics across different states. However, LP said it has made adequate arrangements to ensure the primaries run smoothly in all 36 states and the FCT.

The Peter Obi Question

Labour Party’s primaries take place in the same week that Peter Obi exited the ADC coalition. His political future remains uncertain. However, some LP leaders have publicly called on him to return to the party he led in the 2023 presidential election.

Obi has not confirmed his intentions. He is not expected to contest the LP presidential primary on May 30. If he does not return to LP, the party will select an alternative presidential candidate who will face a significant challenge building national name recognition ahead of 2027.

Furthermore, the LP’s legislative primaries will determine whether the party can field competitive candidates across the 360 House of Representatives seats and 109 Senate seats. A weak primary turnout in key states could signal organisational problems that will hurt LP’s 2027 campaign.

Democracy Day Significance

May 29 is Nigeria’s Democracy Day, marking the anniversary of the return to civilian rule in 1999. The proximity of LP’s primaries to Democracy Day carries symbolic weight for a party that has positioned itself as a vehicle for democratic renewal and youth-led change.

The APC also uses May 29 as a significant date, as it marks Tinubu’s inauguration anniversary. The Presidency is expected to use Democracy Day to make a major national address reviewing his administration’s progress.

INEC confirmed that the May 30 date for LP’s primaries falls within the approved window. The commission said parties have the right to schedule their exercises at any point within that window, provided they meet all notification and process requirements.