Labour Party gives Peter Obi 48 hours to resign over ADC coalition alliance

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, demanding that he formally resign from the party following his alignment with the new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Obi was officially unveiled on Wednesday as one of the key figures in the emerging ADC-led alliance, which brings together several prominent politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja, LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, described the new coalition as a “gathering of power mongers” and accused Obi of playing a double game by maintaining ties with the Labour Party while aligning with a rival platform.

“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party,” Ifoh said. “We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him.”

Ifoh made it clear that the Labour Party is not a part of the ADC-led coalition and warned that the party would not tolerate “dual agendas or deceptive personas.”

“Any member of the Labour Party who has associated with the coalition has 48 hours to formally resign from the party,” he stated.

He went on to criticise Obi’s “New Nigeria” rhetoric, calling it deceptive and unrealistic, especially when pursued in collaboration with what he termed “recycled, desperate, and frustrated politicians.”

“Nearly 70 percent of Nigeria’s population is made up of youths who are tired of the old order. The new Nigeria of our dream can only be achieved through the Labour Party,” Ifoh insisted.

He called on party members to remain loyal and continue to support the Abure-led leadership, which he said remains committed to building a progressive, youth-driven political movement.

Obi’s decision to align with the ADC coalition places him alongside other political heavyweights including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The coalition’s leadership, unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja, named former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman, with Aregbesola serving as interim secretary. The alliance is widely seen as a major third-force movement aimed at unseating the APC in the 2027 general election.