The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has advised Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, to seek another political platform for his presidential ambition in the 2027 elections. The Apapa faction distanced itself from Obi’s appeal to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Court, which reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
The spokesman for the Apapa faction, Abayomi Arabambi, criticized Obi’s leadership and alleged mismanagement of human resources, suggesting that he should not pursue an appeal against Tinubu’s victory at the Supreme Court. Arabambi stated that Obi should consider running in another party if he intends to pursue his presidential ambition for the 2027 elections.
In response, the spokesman for Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, dismissed Arabambi’s comments, emphasizing that the Apapa faction does not have the authority over the Labour Party.
The National Legal Adviser of the Labour Party, Kehinde Edun, also criticized the Apapa faction, stating that the Abure faction is the recognized leadership of the party, and they are the ones INEC recognizes. Edun described the Apapa faction as “comedians” and “mere impostors.”
The factional disputes within the Labour Party highlight ongoing internal conflicts within political parties in Nigeria, which can have significant implications for the country’s political landscape.