The Labour Party has described the defection of Peter Obi, its 2023 presidential candidate, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a relief, saying the party is now “finally liberated.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had long parted ways with Obi and some of his supporters, stressing that his exit was overdue.
The party claimed it had separated from Obi and allied lawmakers since September 2024 and had patiently waited for his formal departure.
According to the statement, the Labour Party had earlier urged Obi and his supporters to leave if they could not work with the party’s leadership, adding that several lawmakers were suspended for alleged anti-party activities.
The party accused Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of sponsoring an internal crisis against the Julius Abure-led leadership, describing their actions as insurrection.
It expressed surprise that Governor Otti, who it said has been suspended, has not followed Obi out of the party, urging him to do so if he aligns with Obi politically.
The Labour Party also dismissed the political event marking Obi’s defection in Enugu, claiming it was poorly attended and boycotted by key political and traditional figures in the South East.
It argued that Obi has lost the political influence he enjoyed before the 2023 elections and described any renewed presidential ambition as a “failed project.”
The party further blamed Obi for the South East’s political losses under the current administration, alleging that the region was marginalized after supporting him in the 2023 polls.
It cited the allocation of ministerial slots and infrastructure projects as evidence of continued marginalization of the zone.
The Labour Party apologized to Nigerians for fielding Obi as its presidential candidate in 2023, describing the decision as its “greatest political mistake.”
The party said it is now working on presenting a better alternative to Nigerians ahead of future elections.
