LP’s Arabambi knocks Obi over Mandela comparison, questions single‑term vow

• Arabambi accused Obi of neglecting Labour Party’s growth, stressing he openly admitted having no business building the platform.
• The LP spokesman recalled Obi’s vow to remain in APGA, alleging his eventual defection exposed questionable political consistency.

Factional national publicity secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, has criticised Peter Obi for citing Nelson Mandela to justify his single‑term pledge if elected president in 2027.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party had restated his commitment to serve one four‑year term, insisting he did not need eight years to fix Nigeria.

Obi also cited Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy as leadership examples, but Arabambi dismissed the comparison, saying Obi could not measure up to any of them.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, Arabambi described it as offensive for Obi to equate himself with Mandela.

“It’s an insult for Peter Obi to compare himself to Nelson Mandela. They are just two parallel lines that can never meet,” he said.

The LP chieftain accused Obi of neglecting party building despite openly admitting that his priority was only to build Nigeria.

“Here is a man who could not build Labour Party. You’ve heard him when he said ‘I’m not here to build Labour Party, I’m only here to build Nigeria.’ He said it openly that he doesn’t have any business building Labour Party and that exactly is what he’s doing today,” Arabambi added.

Arabambi also questioned Obi’s political track record, recalling his defection from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the party through which he governed Anambra for eight years.

He alleged that Obi had vowed never to abandon APGA but eventually left for the Peoples Democratic Party after a fallout over local government elections.

“Obi cannot be telling us now that he will do one term when ab initio he vowed to die in APGA,” Arabambi said.

Obi’s one‑term vow has continued to generate heated debates ahead of 2027, with critics branding it desperation while supporters hail it as a mark of sincerity and vision.