In a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, and issued on Wednesday, the party accused Obi of attempting to undermine its chances at the polls while pretending to be concerned about an internal crisis he allegedly instigated.
The Labour Party (LP) has told its members to ignore former presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s call to vote for another party in the August 16, 2025 bye-elections, describing his directive as “misleading, mischievous and delusional.”
In a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, and issued on Wednesday, the party accused Obi of attempting to undermine its chances at the polls while pretending to be concerned about an internal crisis he allegedly instigated.
“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a statement by the party’s former presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, directing party members to cast their votes for another party in the August 16, 2025 bye-election. The party said that Obi’s directive is misleading, mischievous and delusional,” the statement read.
According to Abure, Obi has become “an irony and a paradox in the Nigerian political space”.
Abure accused Obi of “elevating subterfuge in the game of politics” and playing the role of an “Uber politician” who avoids taking a firm stand.
The party alleged that Obi and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State convened an “illegal expanded stakeholders meeting” in Umuahia on September 4, 2024, which LP said was the trigger for the leadership tussle that has plagued the party.
LP further accused Obi of co-funding the crisis and even leading a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against his own party.
“His desperation to control the soul of the party has made him go haywire,” Abure said.
“A man that received so much goodwill from the party leadership but turned around to pay them with evil. This is why we have maintained that Peter Obi lacks the competence, character and capacity to actualise the vision of a new Nigeria.”
The party stressed that contrary to Obi’s claims, the party’s candidates remain on the ballot for the bye-elections and that all legal requirements had been met for their participation.
“What Obi does not know is that Labour Party is on the ballot and our candidates are contesting the election in spite of all his efforts to strangulate the Labour Party,” the statement said.
The party urged members, candidates and supporters in all affected states to “be focused” and ensure victory for LP at the polls.
On Thursday, SaharaReporters reported how Obi called on his supporters tagged as “Obidients” and other Nigerians backing him to vote for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the forthcoming bye-elections scheduled for 16 August 2025.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the elections would take place in 16 states across the country, covering two senatorial districts, five federal constituencies, and nine state assembly seats.
Obi said the appeal was because of the Labour Party’s exclusion from the polls after INEC failed to recognise any of its candidates due to the party’s unresolved leadership crisis.
“On the 16th of August 2025. Nigerians will go to the polling units again for the Bye-Elections. This is expected to take place in the 16 States of the Federation with 2 Senatorial, five Federal House of Representatives and nine State Assembly seats available for voting,” he said.
“Kindly note that because the Labour Party has no recognised candidates by INEC due to the internal crisis, I humbly urge every member of Obidient and COPDEM families to go out and vote for the coalition political party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), in their respective states. The struggle for Nigeria has started.”
The Labour Party has been mired in a bitter internal battle since the 2023 general elections, with rival factions laying claim to its leadership.
The crisis has led to a series of court cases and has hampered its ability to participate in several electoral contests.
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