Daniel Bwala claims Peter Obi will leave the Labour Party and join APC ahead of the 2027 elections. He cites Valentine Ozigbo’s defection as evidence. The claim has sparked controversy, with LP members refuting it. Meanwhile, Bwala dismissed El-Rufai’s switch to SDP as a mere media strategy.
Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and policy, has claimed that Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, is set to leave the party and join the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2027 elections.
Speaking on TVC on Wednesday, Bwala asserted that the ruling party is gradually absorbing key figures from the opposition, suggesting that Obi’s departure from LP is inevitable. He pointed to the recent defection of Valentine Ozigbo, a close political ally of Obi, as a key indicator of the former Anambra governor’s potential move.
“Do you know we are emptying the Labour Party? Not because we are asking them to come, but they are coming on their own,” Bwala said. “Valentine Ozigbo has joined us, Balami has joined us, and even Peter Obi will join us. He will not run under Labour Party in 2027.”
His statement has sparked widespread reactions within Nigeria’s political landscape, with LP members and Obi’s supporters dismissing the claim as baseless. While Obi has yet to respond, political analysts speculate on the implications of such a shift, considering his strong grassroots support from the 2023 election.
Bwala also downplayed the significance of former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai’s defection from APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), calling it a “media stunt” designed to manipulate public attention.
With speculation mounting, political observers are watching closely for any official statement from Obi regarding his political future.
