Former Labour Party chairman rules out supporting Obi, says his political alignment will depend on pending Supreme Court case and other interests.
The immediate past National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has declared that he will not support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in the 2027 general election.
Abure accused Obi of squandering the goodwill, political structure, human resources and public support that contributed to his strong performance in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on his political plans ahead of the 2027 polls, the former Labour Party chairman said he was open to supporting either President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, depending on the outcome of a pending Supreme Court case concerning the party’s leadership, his political interests and the acceptability of the candidate.
According to Abure, his political camp is waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision before deciding which candidate or political platform to support.
He stressed that any eventual alliance must align with his group’s interests and ideology, adding that the support of his followers would also be considered.
Abure, however, categorically ruled out supporting Obi, insisting that the NDC would not be an option for him because of the former Anambra State governor’s presence in the party.
He also accused Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti of contributing to the leadership crisis that has affected the Labour Party.
The former party chairman further argued that Obi might not enjoy the same level of political freedom in the NDC that he allegedly enjoyed in the Labour Party, claiming that the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, maintains firm control over its affairs.
Abure predicted that Obi would struggle to reproduce his 2023 electoral performance in the 2027 election, alleging that he had mismanaged the political goodwill and resources that previously worked in his favour.
He maintained that his political camp would carefully assess available options before making a final decision on its preferred candidate.