“We Are Liberated” – Labour Party on Peter Obi’s Defection

The Labour Party (LP) has responded to the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the move as a form of liberation for the party.

In a statement on Tuesday, National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh said Obi’s departure was not unexpected, noting that he had been largely disengaged from party activities since September 2024. The statement also suggested that Obi had wavered between the Labour Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the ADC before finalizing his decision ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The LP leadership accused Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti of fueling internal party crises and undermining the leadership of Julius Abure. The party also criticized the official defection event as poorly attended and lacking support from key political and traditional figures in the South-East, interpreting the low turnout as evidence of Obi’s diminished political influence.

Additionally, the Labour Party attributed the South-East’s limited ministerial representation under the current administration to political miscalculations linked to Obi during the 2023 elections.

In an unusual acknowledgment, the party expressed regret for fielding Obi as its 2023 presidential candidate, calling it a political misjudgment, and said it is working to reposition itself to offer Nigerians a stronger alternative in future elections.