2027: Labour Party Now Open To Many Presidential Aspirants, As Obi Moves To ADC – LP Spokesman

ABEOKUTA – The spokesman of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, has declared that the departure of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi to Action Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition has pave way for intending presidential aspirants to contest on the platform of the party.

Arabambi said the party’s decision to sideline Joseph Faduri for Obi in 2023 was a blunder with lasting consequences.

The LP Publicity Secretary disclosed this on Friday at a press conference unveiling Joseph Faduri as the party’s presidential aspirant.

Arabambi noted that the 2027 election must not repeat the error of rallying behind Obi, whose candidacy was based on ethnic polarization that shadowed his campaign.

He stressed that, Nigeria needs leaders like Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, men and women who understand that governance is not about slogans, but about substance, sacrifice, and systemic change.

Arabambi who described the coalition into ADC by Peter Obi and former PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as coalition of Yahoo-Yahoo, said the alternative is more of the same on grand speeches, empty promises, and a nation forever waiting for the progress it deserves.

According to Arabambi, Peter Obi, a politician whose appeal rests more on carefully crafted optics than genuine leadership, may go down as one of the most consequential missteps in Nigeria’s recent political history.

He posited that Peter Obi’s political career has been an exercise in contradiction and elaborate exercise in smoke and mirror.

He noted that Nigeria does not need a president who excuses extremism for political convenience, a leader with depth, discipline, and a demonstrable blueprint for national renewal.

He said that unlike Peter Obi, who spoke of moving Nigeria from consumption to production without substantive policy frameworks, Faduri had a clear road map, leveraging Nigeria’s human capital, modernizing infrastructure through public-private partnerships, and instilling a culture of meritocracy in governance.

Describing Joseph Faduri as the new bride of Labour Party and a man on rescue mission, Arabambi said Faduri credentials were unimpeachable having worked as a licensed nurse in the United States, an entrepreneur with executive experience across multiple industries, and a leader who had demonstrated his commitment to national progress long before stepping into the political arena.

He stated that his vision was not one of hollow promises, but of tangible transformation, a Nigeria that transitions from a struggling giant into a globally competitive powerhouse.

He said that unlike Obi, whose political brand thrives on emotional rhetoric and oversimplified solutions, Faduri’s approach was rooted in accountability, transparency, and the kind of disciplined governance that Nigeria desperately needs.

“The 2023 presidential election will forever linger in Nigeria’s collective consciousness not merely as a contest of candidates, but as a stark revelation of what happens when political expediency takes over principle. At the heart of this tragedy lies the Labour Party’s catastrophic miscalculation in sidelining Faduri Oluwadare Joseph – a man of unimpeachable credentials and visionary leadership – for Peter Obi, whose political career has been an elaborate exercise in smoke and mirrors. This was more than a simple error of judgment; it was a fundamental betrayal of Nigeria’s yearning for genuine transformation

“Faduri’s mission was unambiguous: to rescue Nigeria from the suffocating grip of corruption, inefficiency, and systemic failure. His professional background alone set him apart, a man who had navigated the rigorous standards of American healthcare, managed businesses across continents, and still retained a deep understanding of Nigeria’s socio-political complexities.

“His leadership roles, from heading the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria to founding student bodies at Ambrose Alli University, proved that he was not a career politician, but a problem-solver with a track record of getting things done.

“For one, it would have been defined by policies rather than platitudes. His campaign was built on the pillars of economic revitalisation, institutional integrity, and national cohesion—concepts that Peter Obi reduced to slogans. Where Obi spoke of “moving Nigeria from consumption to production” without substantive policy frameworks, Faduri had a clear roadmap: leveraging Nigeria’s human capital, modernising infrastructure through public-private partnerships, and instilling a culture of meritocracy in governance.

“Most critically, Faduri understood that Nigeria’s problems could not be solved with soundbites. He recognised that poverty alleviation required more than distributing rice; it demanded systemic reforms in education, healthcare, and job creation. He knew that security challenges could not be waved away with vague promises of “dialogue,” but required intelligence-driven strategies and modernised law enforcement.

“Unlike Obi, who often spoke in absolutes, Faduri’s approach was nuanced, practical, and devoid of populist gimmicks.

“In contrast, Peter Obi’s political career has been an exercise in contradiction. He presents himself as a frugal, Spartan leader, yet moves in private jets while lecturing Nigerians on sacrifice. He condemns government spending on essential security measures (like presidential ambulances) yet, as governor, distributed hundreds of cars to traditional rulers. He claims to be a unifier, yet his rhetoric often fans the flames of division, particularly in the Southeast, where his refusal to unequivocally condemn Nnamdi Kanu’s destabilising rhetoric speaks volumes.

“His economic pronouncements are even more troubling. During his recent interview on Channels TV, Obi deliberately misrepresented Nigeria’s debt profile, converting dollar-denominated debt into naira at an inflated exchange rate to fabricate a crisis.

“The truth? Nigeria’s external debt has decreased under Tinubu, from $108.2 billion to $94.2 billion, a fact Obi conveniently ignored. This was not an innocent mistake; it was a calculated attempt to mislead. A man who manipulates basic economic data for political gain cannot be trusted with the nation’s treasury.

“Then there’s his governance philosophy—or lack thereof. His solutions to Nigeria’s problems are embarrassingly simplistic. Poverty? “Give people rice and stew.” Insecurity? “Let vigilantes protect leaders.” Power crisis? No clear plan, just vague references to “copying Egypt.” This is not leadership; it is political theatre, designed to placate rather than progress.

“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. His refusal to firmly denounce Kanu’s secessionist rhetoric, his selective outrage over insecurity, and his tendency to frame national issues through a partisan lens exposed a troubling parochialism beneath his “unifier” facade.

“Nigeria does not need a president who excuses extremism for political convenience. It needs a leader who will uphold the rule of law while addressing legitimate grievances, something Faduri embodied, and Obi failed to.

“The Labour Party’s decision to sideline Faduri for Obi was a blunder with lasting consequences. Instead of a leader with depth, discipline, and a demonstrable blueprint for national renewal, Nigeria got a populist whose greatest skill is telling people what they want to hear.”