Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, will not succeed in the 2027 presidential race if he contests outside the Labour Party, according to the party’s National Vice Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi.

During the post-election crisis that troubled the Labour Party, Obi hinted at the possibility of leaving the party. He emphasised that his engagement is about Nigeria’s broader issues such as water, power, employment, and security, rather than solely about the Labour Party. Obi drew an analogy from Christianity, suggesting that while efforts are made to instigate change, one should not remain in an unchangeable situation.

In response to calls from some of his supporters to leave the party, Olorunfemi, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, labelled those advocating for Obi’s departure as delusional. He asserted that true “Obidients” would not advise Obi to exit the party. Olorunfemi emphasised the ideological foundation of the Labour Party and highlighted the dissatisfaction of Nigerians with the current state of affairs, questioning which other political party would offer a better platform for Obi.

“You have the true Obidients, the student unions, the youth of Nigeria, the hardworking people of Nigeria, who are tired of what is going on in Nigeria, tired of hunger. Which political party will he go to? Back to PDP, APC, or where? This is a political party based on ideology; we are social democrats here. The people who established this political party are social democrats, and that is entrenched in the constitution. So, the only place for Peter Obi to win the election in 2027 is the Labour Party, and we are preparing for that,” Olorunfemi stated.