Labour Party Slams Ex-Secretary Over Obi's Credentials Lawsuit Scandal
The Labour Party has disavowed former official Abayomi Arabambi following his lawsuits challenging Peter Obi's academic and service records. The party clarified that Arabambi was suspended and expelled in 2026 for anti-party activities, thus lacking authority to represent them. While not commenting on the merits of the case against non-member Peter Obi, the Labour Party warned of potential legal action against Arabambi for unauthorized representation.
The Labour Party has officially distanced itself from Abayomi Arabambi, its former National Publicity Secretary, following media reports of his lawsuits concerning the academic and service records of presidential candidate Peter Obi. The party issued a statement through its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, clarifying Arabambi's status and the party's position.
The Labour Party explicitly stated that Arabambi is no longer a member. This decision stems from his suspension, along with 24 other members, by the National Executive Council on March 18, 2026, due to alleged anti-party activities. This suspension was subsequently ratified by the party’s National Convention on April 28, 2026, after which the affected individuals ceased to be Labour Party members. The party stressed that since then, no organ has revisited or reversed this decision concerning the expelled members.
Consequently, the Labour Party declared that Arabambi has no authority to institute any action or speak on its behalf. Any claim by Arabambi to represent the Labour Party as a chieftain or representative is deemed "unauthorised and, prima facie, amounts to impersonation." The party disclosed that its lawyers are actively reviewing the matter and may pursue legal action against Arabambi, including petitioning law enforcement agencies.
Arabambi's legal actions involve three separate suits filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). These suits, instituted under the Freedom of Information Act, seek orders compelling these institutions to release official records concerning certificates allegedly issued to Peter Obi. Arabambi clarified that his objective is not to determine the genuineness or forgery of certificates submitted for the 2027 presidential election, but rather to obtain existing records through which their status and details could be established. Reports had identified Obi as a National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate in connection with these lawsuits, with the NDC also having rejected Arabambi's suits and challenged him to produce evidence indicating questionable credentials.
The Labour Party emphasized that its statement solely aims to clarify Arabambi’s non-membership and does not speak to the merits of the case against Mr. Peter Obi. Importantly, the party reiterated that Peter Obi is not a member of the Labour Party, underscoring the detachment of the party from both Arabambi's actions and Obi's current political affiliation.