"Obi has defected twice from political parties. Would he may still defect from LP, faced with similar circumstances? Currently, the party is divided. Apapa and Julius Abure, a lawyer, are at loggerheads".

Can Obi rebuild LP?

Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Editor
October 27, 2023

Ahead of the February presidential poll, not many people gave him a chance. He was underrated by the two dominant parties-the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led then by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

But, Obi nearly became the hero the 2023 poll. He made a phenomenal impact, scoring over six million votes, as a starter, to the surprise of the two experienced politicians, President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Obi came into political limelight when he won the Anambra governorship election in 2003 on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Although the poll was rigged in favour of Dr. Chris Ngige of the PDP, the stolen mandate was retrieved at the Supreme Court.

However, after leaving office, he dumped APGA for PDP, where he paired with Atiku in 2019. His choice as running mate did not go down well with Southeast PDP leaders who complained that they were not consulted by the Waziri Adamawa.

During the preparation for the 2023 poll, he hurriedly left PDP when he got wind of the fact that Atiku was no longer looking in his direction.

Obi borrowed Labour Party (LP) and launched into the campaigns with enthusiasm.

Three factors boosted his chance. He almost became the third force, inspite of the limited capability of his “structureless” platform and disorganised supporters because Obi appealed to many youths who were not impressed by the performance of the Buhari administration.

Indeed, many youths also gravitated towards Obi through peer pressure.

The propaganda on the social media by fanatical loyalists was strong, effective, confusing and also largely deceitful, taking along many ignorant and gullible youths.

Also, the campaign was divisive, anchored on a sort of religious bickering. While the political class was busy resolving the conflict triggered by zoning or power shift, many Christians were of the opinion that after Buhari’s eight years, power should shift from a Muslim to a Christian. The religious issue became popular among Christians who lacked an indepth understanding of the calculations that heralded the APC’s same faith ticket. However, the Christian population that endorsed Obi cut across Northcentral, Southwest state of Lagos and majorly Southeast.

The third factor was ethnicity, as reflected principally by the bloc votes secured by the LP candidate from his native Southeast and other Igbo-dominated catchment areas in the country.

In the entire Southeast, APC and PDP were shut down, making Obi, more or less, a new champion of geographical expression.

The demography of LP voters also revealed that affection for Obi contrasted with any consideration for LP. Evidently, in subsequent elections, LP could not fly, except in Abia, where Alex Otti, according to observers, was elected largely on his own merit.

Obi’s adventure into court did not bear fruits. His prayers collapsed at the tribunal and Supreme Court. But, his behaviour few days ago reflected a product of bad companionship. After Obi initially rejected Atiku’s post-election offer to team up with him, he deviated from his earlier position to fight alone. Like Atiku, he asked President Tinubu to re-introduce himself to Nigerians who gave him majority votes. But the heat was soon turned on Obi. If as alleged by Lamidi Apapa’s faction his divided party, represented by Arabambi, Obi bears Peter on one certificate and Gregory Onwubwuasi on other certificates, does that not suggest an atom of identity crisis?

Obi’s appeal at the Supreme Court, according to the jurists, lacked merit. It meant that he was televised into chasing shadows.

Many challenges will contront Obi and LP. The former presidential candidate does not know the party totally. He only hired the platform for the poll.

The party lack formidable structures in many states. Therefore, the party has to embark on membership drive. Although the leadership of the umbrella Labour union endorsed Obi, workers were aloof. LP is not an ideological party. Therefore, it is not different from other parties.

Another challenge that will likely face the party is defection of its few federal and state lawmakers who are swayed by carrots dangled by bigger parties

Obi has defected twice from political parties. Would he may still defect from LP, faced with similar circumstances?

Currently, the party is divided. Apapa and Julius Abure, a lawyer, are at loggerheads. The two party stalwarts worked at cross-purpose during the electioneering. The leadership tussle is detrimental to the party’s unity and cohesion . There is an unfinished business of reconciliation.

Obi also has to organise and encourage his scattered followers to also embrace LP.

Raskimonojendor:
What party would he defect to Next. Most likely APM

Urheadmaster:
He may decide to join APC and there's nothing you can do

StOla:
For the desperate political prostitutes and ticket hunters, they are never at peace with their ambition vis-a-vis their reality, hence the futility that concludes their journey.

ganisucks:
The Nation newspaper should check their grammar before posting anything.
What on earth is - " would he may still..."

For crying out loud, you're a reputable mainstream news outlet not some 15 year old kid displaying on tiktok.

In a chat with journalists in Awka, Ben Obi, who incidentally served as SSA to former Governor Obi revealed that he was present when late Ikemba Nnewi asked Obi three times if he would dump APGA for another party to which the former governor swore he would never do.

According the the SSA, “We grew up together and attended the same school and I knew that Obi is very crafty, which sometimes fail him.

"I saw his defection coming because I worked with him as SSA on inter party affairs and throughout the period he was in court fighting to get his mandate back.

“During his tenure, we were at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha when Ojukwu fainted. I had to carry him in my Hummer Jeep to the nearby Waterside Hospital for treatment and as I was singing a song to him, Obi came in. At that point, Ikemba raised his head and asked Obi if he was sure he would not leave APGA and he answered yes. Ojukwu repeated the question two times and this made Obi to swear with a BIBLE he was holding that he would never leave APGA to any other party.

“Ojukwu asked this the question because he suspected that the former governor would dump APGA as soon as he (Ojukwu) was no more. It was unfortunate that he he did not keep to that promise.”

He (Obi) once Attributed leaving APGA to PDP as going to Iraq, adding that by eventually joining PDP, he is now in Iraq and he knows the consequences.

mrvitalis:
😂😂😂 you can only sale market or get attention by mentioning Obi na

slivertongue:
obi we know, LP we voted.

Burob:
Waste of oxygen.

ganisucks:
The Nation newspaper should check their grammar before posting anything.
What on earth is - " would he may still..."

For crying out loud, you're a reputable mainstream news outlet not some 15 year old kid displaying on tiktok.

slivertongue:


good oxygen

Burob:
carbon dioxide, I dey call that Gringory Obi MTN number the one used for the yes daddy conversation with Bishop, it says switched off?

slivertongue:



call d GCL claimer na, ain't you abroad of him?

Burob:
The higher the climb, the harder the fall, Peter Obi needs his wife, more than ever today.

He is on his own, 17 months of political hallucination, has come to an abrupt end.

slivertongue:



Obi may not have been declared the winner but his an open book, a decent character. spend your time on the packaged fraud in the Villa.

mrvitalis:
😂😂😂 you can only sale market or get attention by mentioning Obi na

slivertongue:



Obi may not have been declared the winner but his an open book, a decent character. spend your time on the packaged fraud in the Villa.

Burob:
Sharap wailing Obidient Agbadorian, don’t jump the gun because I am exchanging banters with you Loser.

You have lost your right to speak or be heard, Nonsensical incoherent pikin, The Supreme Court of Nigeria, Jehovah’s Representatives on earth in The Federal Republic of Nigeria has spoken, you are still opening your mouth?

StOla:
For the desperate political prostitutes and ticket hunters, they are never at peace with their ambition vis-a-vis their reality, hence the futility that concludes their journey.

Herdsmen:


Lame!

Herdsmen:


Dem go drag am eh..

Una never see anything..

A man with bad luck

mrvitalis:

The more the drag him that more popular he becomes

If tinubu does well good and fine but if he fails Obi would be seen as the only alternative

ganisucks:


https://twitter.com/TheNationNews/status/1717850015735951796



https://thenationonlineng.net/can-obi-rebuild-l/