By Our Reporter
A former governorship candidate in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo, has claimed that if Peter Obi decides to contest in the 2027 presidential election, he will not do so under the Labour Party (LP).
Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 general election, has been a central figure in Nigerian politics since his surprising performance in the polls. However, Ozigbo, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* programme, expressed doubts about Obi’s continued affiliation with the party.
Ozigbo, who recently defected from the Labour Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), also addressed comments made by Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), regarding his political moves.
“I know Moghalu is an elder compared to me; otherwise, I would have said to him what a child sees standing up, an elder sees sitting down,” Ozigbo remarked. “That’s his choice, and I believe it won’t be long before he comes to the same conclusion as me. I wish the Labour Party well, but I personally don’t see a future in the party. That’s my judgment, and I’m happy to live with it. I would love to be proven wrong.”
When questioned about accusations that he has a pattern of “using and dumping” political parties, Ozigbo dismissed the characterization as unfair.
“It’s rather about somebody who is insistent on the right process and due process,” he explained. “I enjoyed my time in the PDP. They granted us a free and fair primary, and I was proud of what Uche Secondus did. However, when the later leadership emerged, a lot of things changed in the PDP, which is part of why they haven’t done well recently.”
Ozigbo also reflected on his decision to support Peter Obi during the 2023 elections, stating that he had no regrets about his efforts.
“When Peter Obi left the PDP to join the Labour Party, I thought the best decision was to join him and support him. I can boast of being one of his biggest and most impactful supporters from the South East. I believed in this country and wanted to sacrifice for it,” he said.
However, Ozigbo emphasized that he does not believe in staying with a failing party out of loyalty.
“To suggest that if Labour is dying, I should die with Labour would be very wicked of anybody. Over time, you will see what I’m saying. If you’re a savvy politician, you would have noticed by now,” he added.
When pressed by the interviewer, Seun Okinbaloye, about his confidence in Obi’s potential departure from the Labour Party, Ozigbo reiterated his stance.
“I am not his spokesperson, but I can almost guarantee that if he wishes to run for election, it will not be under the Labour Party. I can almost guarantee that,” Ozigbo said.
Okinbaloye probed further, asking if Ozigbo’s closeness to Obi informed his prediction.
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I am a witness to a lot of discussions around coalitions. I can’t share my optimism about that, but the point is that when you get into a party, you evaluate its direction. I enjoyed my time in the PDP, but things changed. The same applies to the Labour Party,” Ozigbo replied.
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