We Wish Obi Well in His ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ Coalition, Says LP as Party Declares Presidential Ticket Open

The Labour Party (LP) has officially declared its presidential ticket open for the 2027 elections, vowing to conduct a transparent primary process and warning that no aspirant—including former candidate Peter Obi—will receive preferential treatment.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, emphasizing that the LP had learned from what he called the “blunder” of selecting Obi in 2023.

Arabambi stated that the party would hold primary elections to ensure fairness, a sharp departure from the controversial process that produced Obi as its flagbearer in the last election.

“There shall be primary elections in the Labour Party, and no aspirant will be favoured this time around,” he declared.

He further described Obi’s emergence as a costly mistake, accusing the former Anambra governor of betraying Nigerians by joining a coalition movement under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 polls.

Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election with victories in 12 states, recently aligned with a coalition of opposition parties, a move that has drawn criticism from his former party.

Arabambi dismissed the coalition as a gathering of “Yahoo Yahoo politicians,” referencing the infamous internet fraud term to suggest deceit.

“Instead of a leader with depth, discipline, and demonstrable progress for national renewal, Nigeria got a populist whose greatest skill is telling people what they want to hear,” he said. “The 2027 election must not repeat this error, even as Peter Obi has defected from the Labour Party to ADC.”

The LP spokesman claimed that similar political alliances had brought hardship to Nigerians between 2015 and 2023, warning against a repeat.

“Nigerians are wishing him well in that ungodly coalition because these are the same coalitions that brought catastrophe on Nigerians between 2015 and 2023. Such a coalition must be rejected,” he said.

Mockingly, he declared: “We wish Obi well in his Yahoo Yahoo coalition, but to let him know that the Labour Party presidential ticket is now open to all Nigerians.”

Arabambi insisted that the party would not allow another “imposition” of candidates, signaling a possible rift between Obi and his former political platform.

“There shall be a primary election this time around, and no aspirant would be favoured,” he reiterated.