Nigeria is falling apart, speak out — Peter Obi urges opposition

Speaking today at the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Obi expressed deep concern over the worsening poverty and hardship experienced by Nigerians.

“Nigeria is collapsing. The statistics are clear—more people are slipping into poverty. People who used to live comfortably are now begging. Each time I enter this hotel, I’m approached by people saying, ‘Oga, I came to Abuja and can’t afford to return.’

“There was a time I’d visit places and be offered food or drinks without asking. Now, no one even makes the offer. That’s how bad things have become,” Obi said. “We must raise our voices when things go wrong. Let’s stand together and start by fixing our own party.”

The NEC meeting was chaired by Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Finance, and comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Labour Party’s national leadership dispute.

Attendees included Peter Obi, his 2023 running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, as well as Labour Party senators and House of Representatives members.

Following the meeting, party leaders, led by Obi and Governor Otti, marched to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja.

They called on the commission to recognize Nenadi Usman as the rightful national chairperson of the Labour Party.

This comes days after the Supreme Court overturned a prior Court of Appeal ruling that had affirmed Julius Abure as national chairman.

In its unanimous decision, the five-member panel of the apex court ruled that leadership disputes within a political party fall outside the jurisdiction of the courts.

It noted that Abure’s tenure had expired and upheld the appeal brought by Senator Esther Usman and another party member, while dismissing the cross-appeal filed by Abure’s faction.