A faction of the Labour Party (LP) has openly admitted regret for fielding Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.
The group described the selection as a “costly mistake.” According to Abayomi Arabambi, the factional National Publicity Secretary, the party sidelined competence in favor of popularity.
The admission came during a meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday.
Arabambi accused the LP of giving voters a “populist” instead of a disciplined, visionary leader.
“It was a betrayal of Nigeria’s genuine quest for transformation,” he said, elevating their preferred candidate, Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, over Obi.
This public apology follows growing internal friction within the Labour Party (LP) over its strategic missteps in the last election.
Arabambi argued the party overlooked national appeal and discipline during candidate selection.
“Instead of presenting Nigerians a disciplined, well-prepared leader with a clear blueprint for national renewal, we offered them a populist who excelled at telling people what they wanted to hear.”
He went on to critique Obi’s campaign for emphasizing ethnic identity and allegedly deepening regional divisions.
According to him, Faduri offered a “truly national outlook,” but the actual choice favored regional sentiment.
“Perhaps the most damning indictment of Obi’s candidacy is his ethnic polarisation that shadowed his campaign,” he stated, accusing Obi’s movement of playing into tribal lines.
Arabambi also criticized Obi for remaining silent on sensitive national issues, such as the activities of Nnamdi Kanu.
He claimed Obi’s outrage was “selective” and dependent on his political agenda.
However, the faction insists that lessons have been learnt and such missteps will not be repeated.
As the Labour Party begins preparations for the 2027 general election, Arabambi said the focus will shift to merit, unity, and visionary leadership.
“We will correct past errors and focus on merit, unity, and visionary leadership,” he confirmed.
This admission of error marks a significant shift in tone and expectations from the Labour Party (LP) leadership.
