Obi was the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election.

Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has said Peter Obi and the Labour Party do not represent real political opposition in Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources on Sunday, Sowore dismissed Obi’s political relevance as a temporary phenomenon that failed to challenge the ruling elite.

Obi was the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election.

“In terms of real opposition, I don’t know why anybody refers to Peter Obi as one. He hasn’t fought for the mandate he claimed or mobilised his supporters,” Sowore said, criticising the former Anambra governor for failing to speak out against key national issues like fuel price hikes.

Reiterating his long-held view, Sowore described the Labour Party as a “short rental” political platform.

“What they call Airbnb in America. You move in, check out when your time expires. When they’re done with Peter Obi, they’ll move it to someone else,” he said.

Sowore further suggested Obi’s popularity during the 2023 elections was rooted in religious sentiment sparked by the APC’s controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket.

He challenged Obi’s supporters, saying, “If you can’t put 60,000 people in the streets, then you’re not serious about opposition.”

The AAC leader also questioned the loyalty of Labour Party lawmakers, alleging they are gravitating towards the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“These guys were not real in 2023, and they won’t be in 2027,” he declared.

In swift response, the Obidient Movement dismissed Sowore’s comments as baseless.

Its National Coordinator, Yunusa Tanko, defended Obi’s continued influence, stating that his every move still shapes national discourse.

“If Peter Obi is not a threat, why do they always talk about him? Whether he speaks or breathes, it makes news. That’s relevance,” Tanko said during a phone interview with Channels Television.

Tanko also slammed Senate President Godswill Akpabio for referencing Obi during a recent valedictory session, saying, “It wasn’t about national policy, just an attempt at character assassination.”

He affirmed the movement’s continued support for Obi, saying, “They should focus on their campaigns. Obi will continue challenging the establishment, and we will back him.”