Labour Party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Dr. Chibuzor Okereke, has defended his decision to choose Hajia Bintu Konto as his running mate, describing the move as a deliberate blend of competence, inclusion and strategic leadership rather than a symbolic gesture.
Speaking during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series in Abuja, Okereke said the Labour Party remains committed to promoting women’s political and leadership inclusion, noting that it is the only political party currently led by women in several top-ranking offices, including the national chairperson, vice-presidential candidate, national legal adviser and national organising secretary.
He added that the party’s leadership structure reflects its founding principles and long-standing belief in inclusive governance.
The level of women’s representation in the party structure is a demonstration of the foundational principles and philosophy of the Labour Party,” he said.
Okereke stressed that Konto earned her place on the ticket through merit, citing her professional record and leadership experience.
Hajia Bintu Konto was not nominated only because she is a woman, but because she has the competence, the capacity, and has demonstrated exceptional leadership as a public health specialist over the years.
According to him, the decision was guided by careful political calculations aimed at ensuring effective governance beyond the election.
As politics requires strategic calculation and plans beyond campaigns to deliver good governance and leadership, the Labour Party considered several factors before settling on Konto, including her qualifications, political realities and the need for geopolitical balance.
Okereke argued that excluding women from leadership only weakens national development; describing women as an indispensable part of Nigeria’s human capital.
She was picked because we believe in inclusion. We believe that sidelining women, who make up almost half of Nigeria’s population, is like trying to clap with one hand.
He further described the exclusion of women from leadership as an underutilisation of the nation’s God-given resources, insisting that Nigeria cannot achieve its full potential without their active participation.
Summing up the strengths Konto brings to the ticket, Okereke said her nomination provides balance through her qualifications, competence, leadership ability and capacity to complement his own strengths in delivering good governance.
With respect to northern Nigeria, he noted that women, particularly Muslim women, continue to face limited opportunities for political representation despite their immense contributions to society; further observing that women remain significantly underrepresented in state Houses of Assembly across much of the region.
He, however, expressed confidence that Konto’s emergence would inspire more young women to pursue leadership roles, regardless of cultural and religious background.
We are confident that giving the northern people something new and fresh, someone who has distinguished herself in humanitarian and development work, will encourage greater participation and empower more women to contribute to nation-building.
On the party’s political prospects, Okereke acknowledged that, despite the departure of former presidential candidate Peter Obi from the Labour Party, the party still retains the approximately six million votes it secured in the 2023 general election.
He expressed confidence that internal disputes had been resolved and that the Labour Party remained united ahead of the 2027 elections.
Okereke also highlighted his longstanding engagement with youth leadership, recalling his service as a student union president, a senator of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and a member of the Nigerian Youth Assembly, adding that those experiences strengthened his connection with young Nigerians, many of whom supported the Labour Party in 2023.
Looking ahead, he promised that the Labour Party government would seek to replicate the governance model of Abia State Governor Alex Otti at the national level, with a focus on improving the lives of Nigerians through effective and inclusive leadership.
Umm E Habiba,
Punjab, Pakistan.
