Labour Party Gives Peter Obi 48 Hours to Resign Over ADC Coalition Move

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

Obi was officially unveiled on Wednesday as a prominent figure in the ADC-led coalition, which is being positioned as a “third force” to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. The coalition includes other political heavyweights such as Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, and David Mark.

Reacting to Obi’s involvement, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, released a statement on Thursday in Abuja, describing the coalition as “a gathering of power mongers” and accusing Obi of harbouring dual political loyalties.

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

He stressed that the Labour Party has repeatedly declared its non-affiliation with the coalition, warning that any member participating in it must resign from the party within 48 hours.

“Labour Party is not part of the coalition and will not tolerate individuals with dual agendas or deceptive personas,” he added.

The party also dismissed Obi’s “New Nigeria” slogan as hollow and unachievable, criticising what it described as a band of recycled, desperate politicians disguising themselves as change agents.

“Nearly 70 percent of Nigerians are youth tired of the old order. The new Nigeria can only be realised through the Labour Party,” Ifoh asserted.

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

The ADC coalition, unveiled on Wednesday, announced former Senate President David Mark as its interim chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as secretary. Political analysts say the platform could reshape Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of 2027, but LP’s swift rejection of Obi’s move signals deepening fractures within the opposition camp.