Labour Party Faction Bars Peter Obi From Return While Declaring Official Support For Tinubu’s 2027 Ambition

Labour Party's Abayomi Arabambi declares Peter Obi cannot return to the party, announcing an official move to support President Tinubu for 2027.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Naija News

A Permanent Exclusion from the Party Fold

The internal rift within the Labour Party has taken a definitive turn with the declaration that its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is barred from returning to the organization. Abayomi Arabambi, the factional National Vice Chairman for the South-West, stated during a Thursday interview with News Central that the leadership has closed the door on Obi’s future involvement. Despite potential efforts by other figures like Nenadi Usman to facilitate a reconciliation, Arabambi insisted that the decision to block Obi's return is final and irrevocable.

Strategic Realignment Toward the Presidency

In a significant political shift, Arabambi disclosed that the Labour Party faction has resolved to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition. He attributed this realignment to the "intractable crisis" that has plagued the party’s internal structures. According to the factional leader, key figures within the party, including the Julius Abure-led leadership and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, have reached a consensus to work toward the emergence of President Tinubu for another four-year term in 2027.

Blame for the 2023 Electoral Failure

Arabambi utilized the platform to cast blame on Peter Obi and his supporters for the party's performance in the previous general election. He alleged that the campaign's failure was not due to external opposition but internal mismanagement, specifically the failure to deploy agents across 53,000 polling units. Arabambi claimed this administrative lapse resulted in the loss of 4.7 million potential votes, arguing that those responsible for the 2023 "mess" would not be allowed to lead the party into another electoral cycle.