Amid the ongoing crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) and its faceoff with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Daniel Bwala, a former spokesman of the Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, has made a controversial claim about Peter Obi’s political future.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Bwala alleged that the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, is planning to dump the party and join forces with former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Bwala tied this alleged defection plan to the current dispute between the LP and the NLC over calls for the removal of the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure.
The Labour Party has been embroiled in internal wrangling, with the NLC pushing for Abure’s ouster amid claims of his inability to properly manage the affairs of the party.
Weighing in on the crisis, Bwala suggested that as the LP intensifies efforts to remove Abure and the current national leadership, Obi is purportedly making plans to exit the party and team up with El-Rufai in the SDP.
He wrote, “BREAKING-Peter Obi @PeterObi allegedly planning to unite with El-rufai @elrufai in Social Democratic Party as Nigerian Labour Congress set to take ownership and custody of their political party, the @NgLabour . Recall that there was a judgment of court that states that Nigeria Labour Congress owns Labour Party. NLC is now prepared to take custody of that party. Twist and turns in the coming days. But all that will not give sleepless night to @officialABAT who himself has his magic wands to wield.”
Neither Peter Obi nor his camp has responded to Bwala’s allegation as of the time of filing this report.
The LP has witnessed a surge in popularity, particularly among Nigerian youths, following Obi’s strong performance in the 2023 presidential polls.