- Peter Obi’s Political Influence is Declining – Lagos LP Chair
- She attributed his waning influence to recent political decisions
- “A wise politician like Peter Obi, once praised for his prudence and vision, has suddenly lost much of his appeal”
The Chairperson of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Dayo Ekong, has claimed that the political influence of former presidential candidate Peter Obi is losing ground in Nigeria.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a post on her X account on Tuesday, Ekong urged Obi to “pause and reflect” on his ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election.
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She attributed his waning influence to recent political decisions, including his opposition to the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP and his endorsements of candidates outside the party.
“Peter Obi’s influence in Nigerian politics appears to be diminishing, as many Nigerians are increasingly weary of what they perceive as inconsistent tactics and political manoeuvring,” she wrote.
“What was once regarded as principled intervention now risks being seen as disruptive and self-serving, pushing away allies and weakening his appeal.”
Ekong pointed to recent electoral outcomes as evidence of this trend, noting that Obi’s endorsements failed to secure victories in Edo, Imo, and Anambra States. She described the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency by-election in Anambra as a “significant blow.”
“Before the Onitsha North 1 rerun, Peter Obi abandoned the LP candidate and endorsed Justina Azuka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), even campaigning with an ADC-branded cap.
Despite his support, the ADC candidate lost, the LP candidate performed poorly, while the APGA candidate won without Obi’s backing,” she said.
According to Ekong, such outcomes show a steady decline in Obi’s political weight. She further accused him of prioritising personal alliances over party unity.
“A wise politician like Peter Obi, once praised for his prudence and vision, has suddenly lost much of his appeal – even in his own political stronghold,” she said, adding that tensions between Obi and the LP leadership may be eroding his support.
She also remarked that Obi has surrounded himself with people he believes act in his best interest, but warned that “time will tell” as Nigerians are watching and making decisions ahead of 2027.
The Labour Party has been facing a leadership crisis, split into factions led by Julius Abure on one side and Obi with Peter Otti on the other.
Legal disputes have further complicated the situation, with the Supreme Court ruling in April that party leadership remains an internal matter, overturning earlier rulings in Abure’s favour.
Amid the internal wrangling, Obi and other opposition leaders have formed the National Opposition Coalition Group to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, adopting the ADC as their platform. Obi insists this does not amount to anti-party activity since the elections are yet to hold.
