Factional Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, has described the party’s 2023 presidential choice of Peter Obi as a “fundamental blunder” that betrayed Nigerians’ hopes for genuine transformation.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abeokuta on Friday, Arabambi argued that Faduri Joseph, a US-based nurse and entrepreneur, would have been a better candidate than Obi, whom he accused of running a campaign based on “emotional rhetoric and ethnic sentiment.”
“Faduri stood as a truly national figure, while Obi’s movement, intentionally or not, became a vehicle for tribal sentiment,” he stated, accusing Obi of refusing to strongly denounce separatist rhetoric and failing to offer real solutions to national challenges.
Arabambi also claimed Obi misrepresented Nigeria’s debt profile during a recent interview.
“He inflated the exchange rate to mislead Nigerians, whereas Nigeria’s external debt has reduced under Tinubu.”
He disclosed that plans are underway to expel Obi and his supporters from the Labour Party for aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition led by David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and Nasir El-Rufai.
“Peter Obi attended the ADC coalition’s inauguration as the Labour Party leader. We are not in support of that, and he is no longer considered part of the party. Expulsion proceedings will be concluded at our next NEC meeting,” Arabambi added.
He urged those behind the ADC coalition to return to the APC and work with President Bola Tinubu to clean up the governance mess left by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Arabambi emphasised that the Labour Party must not repeat its 2023 “error” in the 2027 elections, insisting the country needs leaders like Faduri Joseph, who are focused on substance and systemic reform.
