The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, has declared that Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, is no longer a valid member of the party and that his recent coalition moves have nothing to do with Labour Party.
Arabambi stated this during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, on Wednesday.
According to him, Obi’s claim of running for only one term if elected president in 2027 is deceptive and irrelevant to the Labour Party, stressing that the former Anambra governor had been suspended.
“Peter Obi has been suspended. He does not belong to the Labour Party anymore. He cannot be dividing the country and dividing our party and still claim to be one of us,” Arabambi said.
He described Obi’s one-term promise as a false narrative driven by desperation, insisting that no president in Nigeria’s history has ever truly committed to a single term.
“That statement about running for just one term is deceptive. In Nigeria’s history, has any president ever truly committed to one term? After one or two years, you’ll start hearing ‘four more years’ slogans. It’s inconsistent and dishonest,” Arabambi said.
He accused Obi of destabilizing the Labour Party since joining in 2022, adding that his political history shows a pattern of opportunism.
“Obi moved from APGA to PDP, then came to Labour Party and left us in disarray. When he came, the party was united, but today, we are disconnected. He deceived Nigerians, and I will never shy away from saying it. He came to Labour Party with a scam agenda,” Arabambi declared.
Arabambi also faulted Obi’s economic proposals, saying his promises to fix Nigeria within two years are unrealistic.
“This is a man that cannot even fix Labour Party in six months. He came and planted institutional slavery within our party. His business operations are entirely dependent on imports, nothing produced here, yet he claims he can fix the nation,” Arabambi added.
He further alleged that Obi attempted to “Igbo-lize” the party, fueling internal crises and disunity.
“The problems in Labour Party started with his ethnic agenda. We saw it, and that’s why we resisted it. Obi has nothing upstairs; his solutions are empty,” Arabambi stated.
Labour Party Rejects Coalition Plans
Speaking on the proposed opposition coalition, Arabambi distanced the Labour Party entirely from the arrangement, insisting that individuals like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Bola Tinubu have all contributed to Nigeria’s decline.
“We are not part of any coalition. The likes of Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi brought Nigeria to its knees. They are birds of the same feather. Labour Party will never join forces with them,” Arabambi emphasized.
Recall that on Tuesday, Obidient Movement Coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, disclosed that Obi had submitted his single-tenure proposal to the opposition coalition. Obi also attended Wednesday’s event where ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu handed over to David Mark as interim chairman, with Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
But Arabambi dismissed the coalition talks as selfish and not in the interest of ordinary Nigerians.
Labour Party Crisis Continues
On the lingering leadership dispute within the party, Arabambi maintained that Julius Abure’s faction lacks legitimacy, and no court ruling had declared Lamidi Apapa or any other as chairman.
“The Supreme Court does not impose party leaders. People misinterpret judgments without reading. The judiciary has repeatedly said internal party affairs are not its responsibility,” he said.
Arabambi also revealed that Abia State Governor Alex Otti, elected under the Labour Party in 2023, has similarly distanced himself from the party’s core leadership.
“Labour Party remains focused. Those who want to destabilize us, including Obi, have been shown the way out,” Arabambi concluded.
