“Picking Peter Obi in 2023 was a costly mistake” – Labour Party faction laments

More than two years after the 2023 presidential election, a Labour Party (LP) faction has described its decision to field Peter Obi as its candidate as a “costly mistake” that has left damaging political consequences.

Speaking on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Abayomi Arabambi, factional national publicity secretary of the party, said the LP made a fundamental error by choosing Obi over Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, a professional nurse whom he described as a disciplined and visionary leader.

According to Arabambi, the party’s decision to prioritise Obi’s popularity over Oluwadare’s credibility and national outlook “betrayed Nigeria’s genuine quest for transformation.”

He said: “It was a betrayal of Nigeria’s genuine quest for transformation.

“Instead of presenting a disciplined, well-prepared leader with a clear blueprint for national renewal, we offered Nigerians a populist who excelled at telling people what they wanted to hear.”

He said the Labour Party has drawn critical lessons from the 2023 outing and would not repeat what he described as the “Obi error” in the lead-up to the 2027 general election.

Arabambi insisted that Faduri Oluwadare Joseph remains the type of leader Nigeria needs.

He further accused Obi of fanning ethnic sentiments during the election, saying his campaign created unnecessary regional divisions.

“Perhaps the most damning indictment of Obi’s candidacy is his ethnic polarisation that shadowed his campaign.

“While Faduri stood as a truly national figure, with support cutting across regions, Obi’s movement, intentionally or not, became a vehicle for tribal sentiment,” he said.

Arabambi also criticised Obi for his silence on the activities of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as well as what he termed “selective outrage” on national security issues.

Arabambi assured Nigerians that his faction of the Labour Party will chart a new course as 2027 approaches, rooted in merit, national unity, and visionary leadership.