Less than 24 hours after Peter Obi insisted that he was a member of the Labour Party and that his name would be on the ballot, the National Secretary of the Labour Party loyal to Julius Abure, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, has said Obi, was only enjoying his current media attention but would not contest in 2027.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, on Thursday, Ibrahim said the opposition parties have become too “demoralised” to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) effectively, adding that Tinubu appeared “comfortable” heading into the next election cycle.
He added: “When you look at those people contesting with Tinubu, in any match you see the opponents. Are these really opponents? Except the referee wants to be giving them penalties, even with the penalties, there are people who will score and there are those who will miss the penalties.”
He noted the APC should not be blamed for the crisis within opposition parties.
According to him, “I say it here that for us in Labour Party, we do not have any reason for anyone to accuse APC of interfering in our internal crisis.”
Farouk also dismissed speculation that Peter Obi would once again run for president in 2027, saying the former Anambra governor has distanced himself from the Labour Party.
“I can tell you, Obi is not going to contest presidential election. Obi is enjoying media publicity but 2027, he is not interested in it. We have offered him presidential ticket, he rejected it,” he stated.
The LP National Secretary further questioned Obi’s current political alignment, alleging that his recent moves had created uncertainty about his party affiliation.
“Look at what is happening, why is he in ADC? Why does he belong in PDP? In which political party does he belong? Where will he get the ticket?” Farouk asked.
In another development, the Labour Party’s Interim National Committee (INC) under the leadership of Senators Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwochocha, has said in the crisis in the party was orchestrated by the APC to take over control of Labour Party.
The party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Toni Akeni, made the claim in a leaked memo, expressing frustration with the current state of the party and threatening to quit if things don’t improve.
Specifically, Akeni alleged that an unnamed APC “mole” within LP’s ranks had convinced the INC not to fund the party’s publicity directorate.
The party’s spokesperson equally expressed frustrations that the party’s interim leadership has failed to conduct ward, Local Government, State and Zonal congresses as well as a national convention, more than one year after it was given a 90-day mandate to do so.
The internal memo dated October 9th, 2025, titled: “Pre-resignation Memo”, was addressed to the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) and the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).
“In view of the fact that you may be time-pressed and unable to immediately read through this full document, I provide below for your instant attention a compressed version of the document.
“The assignment given to the NWC of our party to conduct nationwide state congresses and all-inclusive national convention commenced after its inauguration at Umuahia on September 4, 2024.
“Less than two years to the 2027 general elections, instead of the three months (90 days) original time frame given to the working committee, the exercise has now spanned 445 days, several months more than a full year.
“Yet membership registration and revalidation, which are compulsory antes to the congresses and convention, are not close to commencement, much less conclusion in the foreseeable time.
“As the interim National Publicity Secretary (iNPS) of Labour Party, I was compelled to relocate to Abuja from my Edo state family abode and abode of occupational livelihood on August 7, 2025,” he said.
Chuks Okocha
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