More than two years after the 2023 presidential election, Labour Party, LP, has expressed deep regret over its decision to field Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, describing it as a costly mistake with lasting consequences.
Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Abayomi Arabambi, said LP erred by choosing Obi over Faduri Joseph, whom he hailed as a professional nurse with “unimpeachable credentials and visionary leadership.”
Arabambi said the election exposed the dangers of prioritising political popularity over principled leadership, lamenting that the sidelining of Oluwadare Joseph was more than a mere miscalculation.
“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.
He assured that as the 2027 general elections approach, the Labour Party will not repeat what he called the “Obi error,” stressing the need for leaders like Faduri Oluwadare Joseph who embody substance, sacrifice, and a clear vision for systemic change.
“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, which obi lacks,” Arabambi said.
