Valentine Ozigbo, a former ally of Peter Obi and governorship aspirant in Anambra State, has sharply criticised the leadership of the Labour Party (LP), claiming that the party’s current state is “a failing enterprise.”
Ozigbo, who recently defected from LP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed deep discontent with how Obi handled the internal crisis within the party following the 2023 elections.
Ozigbo expresses disillusionment with LP’s crisis management
In an exclusive interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, May 6, Ozigbo made it clear that his decision to leave the Labour Party was not driven by personal conflicts with Obi, but rather by Obi’s failure to take decisive action on the party’s leadership challenges.
According to Ozigbo, he had expected Obi to take a more proactive role in resolving the legal disputes and the leadership issues that were affecting the party’s stability.
“I had a problem with Labour Party, and by extension, I would expect Peter Obi to take certain preemptive steps to deal with some of these issues in Labour Party, which, for maybe, he has his reasons not to have handled the way I would have expected, but I don’t want to be part of what I can consider now a failing enterprise. I had to move on,” Ozigbo explained.
Ozigbo denies leaving over personal grievances with Obi
Despite his frustrations with the leadership crisis within the Labour Party, Ozigbo was quick to clarify that his defection was not a personal fallout with Obi.
He stated that he never expected Obi to solely protect his interests, but rather to take charge of the party’s affairs and provide proper leadership.
Ozigbo made it clear that the lack of direction within LP was the primary reason for his decision to join the APC.
“I would expect Labour Party to be better handled, better led, than what I’m seeing,” Ozigbo remarked.
Ozigbo and Obi pursue different political objectives
While Ozigbo is critical of Obi’s leadership, he maintained that their relationship remains civil, with both individuals now focusing on their distinct political goals.
Ozigbo, now aligned with the APC, is gearing up for the 2025 elections, while Obi continues to focus on the Labour Party’s strategies for the 2027 presidential race.
“Peter Obi is in Labour Party having his competition around coalition, talking about 2027. Valentine Ozigbo is in APC talking about 2025. We have different objectives right now, and that’s why I had to take my own path,” he concluded.
LP chieftain defects to PDP
Earlier. Legit.ng reported that on Thursday, May 1st, the Labour Party (LP) members representing Igboeze/Udenu and Igboeze South/Nsukka Federal Constituencies, Mr Dennis Agbo and Mark-Chidi Obetta, respectively, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu.
Defecting along with them was the member representing Nsukka West State Constituency, Mr Malachi-Okey Onyechi.