In a significant political development, the Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has emphatically stated that Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, will not be considered for the 2027 presidential ticket. The Apapa faction, whose legitimacy was recently confirmed by the Edo Division of the Court of Appeal, has begun the search for an alternative presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
Abayomi Arabambi, the faction’s spokesperson, conveyed this message on Wednesday. Arabambi’s statement came in response to Peter Obi’s appeal filed at the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Court, which upheld President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
It’s worth noting that the Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party had distanced itself from Obi’s decision, as well as the actions of the Julius Abure faction, who challenged Tinubu’s victory in court. On August 14, the Edo Division of the Court of Appeal officially recognized Apapa as the legitimate National Chairman of the Labour Party.
Arabambi strongly advised Peter Obi not to waste his time pursuing an appeal against Tinubu’s victory at the Supreme Court, citing Obi’s alleged mismanagement of human resources as the reason for his election defeat.
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Arabambi stated, “My advice is for him (Obi) to begin preparations for 2027, but he should seek another party, not the LP. We are determined not to tolerate such behavior in 2027 and will seek a fresh candidate. Obi is welcome to return to APGA to run, but not within the Labour Party. We do not wish to continue accommodating an individual who believes he is the only one with any intellect. He has shown poor management of human resources, which led to his resounding defeat.”
Furthermore, Arabambi raised questions about Obi’s claims against President Bola Tinubu’s educational qualifications, pointing out that Obi himself did not present his B.Sc. degree during the election, instead opting for his school certificate. Arabambi suggested that Obi’s reluctance to disclose his B.Sc. degree might be due to concerns about potential investigations into its authenticity.
In response to Arabambi’s statements, Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, dismissed the Apapa faction’s threats, emphasizing that they do not have authority over the Labour Party.
Additionally, Kehinde Edun, the LP National Legal Adviser, criticized the Apapa faction, asserting that it is the Abure faction recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Edun stated that the Apapa faction’s claims have no basis, as they are suspended members of the party and do not have the authority to determine the party’s flag bearer. He affirmed that the recognized leadership of the party is under the leadership of Abure, not Apapa, and that Nigerians are no longer taking the Apapa faction seriously due to their actions.
