Labour Party Factional Leader Callistus Okafor Quits, Says Peter Obi Unfit to Lead Nigeria

Factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Callistus Okafor, has formally announced his resignation from the party, declaring that its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, lacks the capacity to govern Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Okafor cited the party’s prolonged internal crisis and what he described as Obi’s failure to address key leadership issues as the reasons behind his decision to quit. He also announced that his faction, along with an estimated five million supporters, will be joining Team Wazobia Nigeria, a socio-political and non-partisan movement.

“My team and I had carefully looked at what is happening in the Labour Party, including the crises that have been going on for seven years, and wondered how long it will continue,” Okafor said.

According to him, the decision to withdraw from the Labour Party followed extensive consultations with his faction’s National Working Committee and National Executive Council. He described the internal wrangling within the party as unhealthy and unsustainable.

“We are moving from the Labour Party to Team Wazobia Nigeria. This crisis has come to a point where it’s no longer healthy in the Labour Party,” he added.

In a direct criticism of Peter Obi, Okafor accused the former Anambra State governor of failing to mediate or resolve the long-standing leadership tussles within the party, casting doubt on his ability to govern at the national level.

“Peter Obi’s inability to resolve the leadership crisis in the Labour Party raises serious questions about his capacity to lead a country as complex as Nigeria,” Okafor stated.

The Labour Party has been plagued by factional disputes since before the 2023 general elections, with multiple individuals laying claim to the national chairmanship—a conflict that has periodically spilled into the public domain.

As of the time of this report, Peter Obi has not officially responded to Okafor’s comments or the mass defection to Team Wazobia Nigeria.