By Comrade Abbas Ibrahim
When the Labour Party unveiled Hajja Bintu Konto as its vice presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, it marked more than the announcement of a running mate. It signalled the party’s determination to redefine leadership by placing competence, integrity, inclusion and service above political convention.
For the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Chibuzor Okereke, the decision was neither accidental nor symbolic. It was the product of careful consideration of leadership qualities, governance experience, national balance and the capacity to inspire millions of Nigerians.
“Hajja Bintu Konto from Borno State was not nominated only because she is a woman,” Okereke explained during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series in Abuja. “She was chosen because she has the competence, the capacity and has demonstrated exceptional leadership as a public health specialist over the years.”
Those who have followed Konto’s career say the Labour Party’s assessment reflects a record built over many years in public health, humanitarian service and community mobilisation.
A respected public health professional, Konto has devoted much of her career to improving healthcare delivery, promoting preventive healthcare, empowering vulnerable communities and advocating for better living standards, particularly for women and children. Her work has taken her beyond hospitals and boardrooms into communities where development challenges are most acute.
She has earned recognition as a development practitioner whose interventions combine professional expertise with compassion, making her a familiar face among grassroots organisations, civil society groups and humanitarian partners.
Throughout her career, Konto has consistently championed maternal and child health, disease prevention, community awareness, women’s empowerment and social inclusion. Her ability to mobilise communities and build partnerships has established her as a leader who understands both policy formulation and practical implementation.
It is this combination of technical knowledge and grassroots engagement that attracted the attention of Labour Party leaders searching for a vice presidential candidate capable of complementing the presidential ticket.
According to Okereke, politics should ultimately produce good governance rather than merely winning elections. For that reason, the party examined the competence, experience and leadership qualities of potential candidates before settling on Konto.
“We looked at qualities of individuals, the political reality of the country and geo-political balancing before making our choice,” he said.
Her emergence also reflects Labour Party’s longstanding commitment to inclusive leadership. The party has distinguished itself by promoting women to key national offices and believes Nigeria can only maximise its potential when women are fully represented in decision-making.
Okereke argued that excluding women from leadership means denying the nation access to nearly half of its human resources.
For many observers, Konto’s nomination therefore represents both a recognition of personal achievement and a statement of political philosophy.
Coming from Northern Nigeria and as a Muslim woman, her candidacy challenges assumptions about the limits of women’s participation in national politics. Labour Party believes her emergence will inspire a new generation of young women to aspire to leadership based on merit, education and service.
The presidential candidate also believes that her humanitarian background gives the ticket a people centred outlook. Her years of working directly with communities have exposed her to the realities of poverty, inadequate healthcare, unemployment and social inequality issues that remain central to Nigeria’s development agenda.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, colleagues describe Konto as a consensus builder, an effective communicator and a disciplined administrator whose leadership style emphasises collaboration, accountability and measurable impact.
These qualities, according to Labour Party, make her uniquely positioned to complement Okereke’s vision of building an inclusive, transparent and development driven administration.
As the 2027 campaign gathers momentum, Hajja Bintu Konto enters the national political stage carrying not only the hopes of her party but also the expectations of many Nigerians seeking competent and credible leadership.
Whether on the campaign trail or in government, Hajja Bintu Konto’s story is one of professional excellence, humanitarian commitment and the belief that public office should remain an instrument for improving the lives of ordinary citizens. It is this record, Labour Party says, that convinced Dr. Chibuzor Okereke she was the right person to help lead Nigeria into a new era of inclusive and accountable governance.
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