Obi ‘ll Not Command Followers Like 2023, Says Ex-IPAC Chair

A former chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Enugu State, Barrister John Nwobodo has stated that the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi will not command as much followers in 2027 as he did during the last election.

Nwobodo disclosed this in an interview with LEADERSHIP in Enugu, saying, “I do not see Peter Obi commanding as much followership and influence as he did in 2023.”

He noted that things have fallen apart within the Labour Party, fearing that the party has ceased to command supporters’ attraction due to leadership crises.

“The party went into the 2023 general election without grassroots structure as evident in its inability to field polling units agents in all the polling units across the Federation.

“One had thought that they would settle down to build the party in anticipation of 2027 but all we see is bickering and contestation for party positions compounded by external influences and infiltration by fifth columnists,” he said.

Nwobodo pointed out that the leadership disputes could have been averted, but it suspected that there are interests within the party who wanted to wrestle leadership from Julius Abure as the national chairman.

He stressed that Abure had no choice than to fight back to retain his position.

On whether the alliance of opposition party leaders can change leadership at national level, Nwobodo said this depends on the drivers of such movement, and what they are bringing on board, insisting that Nigerians are tired of rhetoric.

“We want to see leaders who have in-depth understanding of the problems of Nigeria coupled with knowledge of workable solutions to fix Nigeria.

“The bulk of Labour Party supporters came from PDP; so many of them due to stomach infrastructure have gone back to where they came from. 2023 was an extraordinary moment in history which might not replay itself in 2027,” he stated.