Dayo Ekong, the chairperson of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, has stated that Mr. Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, is quickly loosing his political influence, grace and purpose urging him to take a moment to think.
In a statement shared on her X page on Tuesday, Ekong said Obi’s rising profile in 2023 was not just about his personality but a combination of party structures, grassroots mobilisation and public desire for change.
“In 2023, Nigerians rallied behind him because he represented a fresh alternative.
“But today, his actions are beginning to erode the foundation of that support,” Ekong wrote.
The chairperson of the Lagos LP also brought up the Edo gubernatorial election of 2024, in which Obi backed LP candidate Olumide Akpata against the wishes of party elders.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpebholo defeated Akpata in spite of Peter Obi’s rallies in Benin, the capital of Edo state, and other locations.
According to Ekong, the result demonstrated that Peter Obi’s backing no longer ensures success.
The “most embarrassing blow” occurred during the last Anambra by-election, according to the chairperson of the Lagos LP.
According to her, Peter Obi backed Justina Azuka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Onitsha North 1 parliamentary seat after abandoning the LP candidate.
According to her, Obi even wore an ADC-branded cap during the campaign, but the party pulled only 1,909 votes, while LP also fared poorly in the by-election.
She noted that Peter Obi’s political missteps have made him lose credibility even in his stronghold.
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Ekong urged Obi to take a pause to retrace his steps, put an end to his disputes with the LP leadership and concentrate on restoring confidence.
“A wise politician should know when to stop and think deeply about the direction he is heading,” she said.
“We openly criticised Wike for his PDP/APC antics, yet we look away from Obi’s LP/ADC antics,” she added.
“The electorate are watching and slowly making up their minds about 2027.”
