By Jonathan Lois
The Labour Party presidential candidate, Amb. Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, has called on voters in Abia State to support the party’s candidates across elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
Okereke made the call during a solidarity roadshow in Arochukwu Kingdom, Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state, where he rallied support for Governor Alex Otti and other Labour Party candidates.
The event attracted party supporters and residents who marched through parts of Arochukwu with banners, placards, posters and other materials expressing solidarity with the Labour Party and the governor.
Okereke used the occasion to mobilise support for Otti, whom he described as a key figure in the Labour Party’s efforts to strengthen its political structure.
He also urged voters to support the party’s Abia North Senatorial candidate, Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex; its candidate for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa; its candidate for Arochukwu State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Uchenna Okoro; and other Labour Party candidates across the state.
Speaking on the sidelines of the rally, Okereke said the gathering was primarily organised to appreciate Otti for what he described as his administration’s development efforts in Abia.
According to him, the changes taking place in the state under Otti’s administration had attracted attention beyond Abia.
He said the rally was also intended to demonstrate solidarity with Otti for his role in strengthening the Labour Party and supporting the emergence of a younger generation of leadership within the party.
Okereke said he believed the experience in Abia could provide lessons for governance at the national level.
“I have spent years studying systems and designing systems and governance architecture, supporting institutional design and framework,” he said, explaining his motivation for seeking the presidency.
The Labour presidential candidate said his campaign was centred on demonstrating how governance could be approached differently, arguing that political leadership should ultimately improve the socioeconomic conditions of citizens, drawing inspiration from what he described as Otti’s leadership example.
He said democracy should not merely be about elections but should translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
“Democracy must deliver happiness to the Nigerian people. Democracy must improve the lives of people,” Okereke said.
He also urged Nigerians to take greater interest in political participation, arguing that elected representatives at the federal, state and local government levels make decisions that affect citizens’ everyday lives.
Okereke specifically encouraged eligible Nigerians to participate in the electoral process and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards where necessary.
He said political participation should not be left to a small group of people, stressing that citizens should have a voice in determining who represents them.
The presidential candidate also linked economic development to political participation, arguing that political decisions influence the environment in which economic activities take place.
A major focus of his message in Arochukwu was the need for Labour Party supporters to vote across the ballot.
Okereke argued that supporting a governor without supporting legislators from the same political platform could make it more difficult to implement a consistent development programme.
He therefore urged Abians who wanted to sustain what they considered positive developments under Otti to also support Labour candidates seeking seats in the National Assembly and Abia State House of Assembly.
He urged voters to “go all the way” with Labour Party candidates in the 2027 elections.
His appeal covered the party’s senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates, including Bourdex, Osonwa and Uchenna Okoro.
On his policy agenda, Okereke said Nigeria must function as a federation and ensure that the local government system works effectively.
He also advocated the introduction of zero-based budgeting, a reset of Nigeria’s institutional governance approach anchored on what he called the “Nigerians First Vision”, youth and women development through inclusion and participatory governance, and an expansion of the definition of federal character beyond ethnicity to include diversity involving youths, women and persons with disabilities.
He also called for a shift from what he described as a palliative and distributive economy to a productive economy.
The Traditional Ruler of Arochukwu Kingdom, His Eminence, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, Eze Aro IX, prayed for the presidential candidate and wished him well in his campaign.
The monarch urged Okereke to uphold due process and respect for the rule of law throughout the campaign.
He stressed the importance of conducting himself in a manner that would not undermine the dignity, values and respect cherished by the people of Arochukwu.
The monarch further advised the candidate to ensure that his actions and conduct reflected the high regard in which the Arochukwu people hold their traditional institutions, customs and community.
