2027: Labour Party dispels rumours of replacing Peter Obi as presidential candidate

Labour Party dismissed rumours of a potential replacement, and reiterated its support for Peter Obi as its presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

In a statement jointly signed yesterday by the Director-General of the Directorate on Mobilization and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei; the Deputy Director of Media and Communications, Ambassador Aju Elumelu; and the Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement, Sheikh Rufai Al-Saddiq, the party denied reports of a rift and affirmed its commitment to Obi’s candidacy.

The directorate acknowledged efforts to reconcile aggrieved groups within the party but emphasized that no agreement had been reached to replace Obi.

It emphasized the party’s unity and cohesion behind Obi, who has been ratified as the presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The directorate said: “The leadership and members of our great party recognize the importance of peaceful coexistence among brothers and acknowledge the fact that there’s a bigger target—liberating Nigeria from the shackles of greedy politicians and building a nation that protects the interests of its citizens.

“The party has decided to follow a peaceful approach to resolving internal misunderstandings. This effort within the Labour Party and its successes have elicited different reactions; we have also seen an attempt by the opposition to make a false spin for their own selfish interests, misinforming the general public with the aim of causing more crises in our party.

“For the record, this directorate was set up to facilitate reconciliation and help mobilize and integrate Labour Party stakeholders toward electoral victory for our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in 2027.

“The party leadership recognizes the need for unity and cohesion within the party as a requirement for internal stability and improving the winning chances of H.E. Peter Obi in the upcoming 2027 elections.

“We have reached out through various channels to different stakeholders, and discussions are still ongoing on various fronts; we are also making great progress in this endeavor. To misconstrue this effort as being against our presidential candidate is unfortunate.

“To set the record straight, Peter Obi remains our presidential candidate for 2027 as ratified, and all the party leadership are behind him and committed to his message of a new Nigeria.”

With this clarification, the Labour Party has put to rest speculations about Obi’s candidacy, reaffirming its faith in his leadership and vision for Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi, has said President Bola Tinubu deserved commendation for heeding his call on wealthy Nigerians to join him in sinking boreholes to provide access to water for the downtrodden.

Obi said this via a statement issued by the Peter Obi Media Reach, in Abuja, yesterday.

This was in response to the Presidential directive that 400 boreholes be constructed nationwide as part of a charity initiative to honour the memory of his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.

Dr. Tanko Yunusa, who signed the statement, said: “The office of the Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR wishes to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for harkening to the call of our principal, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, to wealthy Nigerians to join him in ensuring the provision of boreholes across the country for the oppressed in our midst.

“Obi embarked on the project after witnessing what many Nigerians go through trying to get basic needs such as drinking water.

“He had already installed some boreholes as a short time solution in some Northern states, including Nasarawa, Bauchi, Kano, Zaria, Kebbi, Suleja in Niger State and Sokoto, where the situation is acute.

“At the special anniversary of the death of his mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji in Abuja at the weekend, the President announced a nationwide project to construct 400 boreholes as a continuation of charity in the late mother’s memory.

“The POMR commends this spirit of charity from the President as it aligns with our principal’s desire to attend to the poor in our midst.

“POMR would like to advise that this new line of thinking from the President should be reflected in government projects which at the moment are not addressing the yearnings of the poor in our midst.

“It remains shameful that in a nation where millions have no access to clean drinking water, millions of children are out of school and have no access to decent healthcare with millions of youths out of jobs, yet the government is placing priority on bogus projects such as coastal highway, mansions, flyovers and buying of jets etc as a priority.

“The President’s new spirit of charity, if it continues, will help in pulling many Nigerians out of poverty if it’s diversified.”