The Labour Party (LP) has reacted strongly to the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing his exit as a relief and declaring that the party has been “finally liberated.”
In a statement titled “Labour Party Finally Liberated by Peter Obi’s Defection”, the party also apologised to Nigerians for presenting what it described as an “unfitting” presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.
The statement, signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, acknowledged Obi’s defection to the ADC on Wednesday in Enugu, as well as the address he delivered at the event.
The party described the speech as unimpressive and questioned what new political ideas Obi intends to offer Nigerians.
According to the Labour Party, it had effectively parted ways with Obi as far back as September 2024 and had only been waiting for his formal exit. The party said it was surprised that the defection took so long to materialise.
LP further claimed that Obi’s departure marked the end of its prolonged internal crisis, which it attributed to Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
The party accused both men of sponsoring actions aimed at destabilising the Julius Abure-led national leadership, adding that several lawmakers had been suspended for alleged anti-party activities.
Commenting on the defection event in Enugu, the party alleged that it was poorly attended and largely ignored by prominent political figures and traditional institutions in the South-East. It claimed that many of those present lacked political relevance and electoral strength.
The Labour Party also argued that Obi’s political influence has declined since the 2023 elections, warning that his new political ambition under the ADC was already facing serious challenges.
In a rare admission, the party apologised to Nigerians for its choice of candidate in the last presidential election, stating that hindsight had shown it made a significant political error.
