The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party (LP) has described the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a “liberation” for the party, stating that the party regrets fielding him in the last general election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said Obi’s exit merely formalised a political separation that had existed since September 2024 amid the party’s prolonged leadership crisis. He claimed the LP leadership had long urged Obi and his supporters to leave if they could not work with the Abure-led structure.
The party disclosed that several lawmakers aligned with Obi had already been suspended for alleged anti-party activities and accused Obi, alongside Abia State Governor Alex Otti, of sponsoring efforts to destabilise the party leadership. LP expressed surprise that Otti, who it said had been suspended, remained in the party.
LP also dismissed Obi’s defection rally in Enugu as poorly attended, alleging it was boycotted by key political and traditional stakeholders in the South-East. According to the party, this signalled a loss of political appeal and cast doubt on Obi’s future presidential ambitions.
In a broader critique, the party blamed Obi’s 2023 presidential bid for the South-East’s limited representation in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, arguing that the zone suffered political marginalisation after rallying behind his candidacy.
The Abure-led leadership concluded by apologising to Nigerians for presenting what it described as an “unfitting” presidential candidate in 2023 and appealed for another opportunity, promising to present a stronger political alternative in future elections.
Peter Obi formally announced his defection to the ADC at an event in Enugu, where he called for a broad opposition coalition to address Nigeria’s economic and democratic challenges