Obi accuses Tinubu of fueling crisis in LP, decries “propaganda, lies”

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of instigating and sustaining the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP).

Obi made the remarks on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he openly blamed the federal government for manipulating internal party dynamics to weaken the LP and derail its political relevance.

“The problem we have in the Labour Party is a problem instigated and sustained by the government of today,” Obi declared, pointing directly at the Tinubu-led administration.

The 2023 Labour Party flagbearer described Nigeria as a nation where propaganda has overtaken truth, accusing the current leadership of deliberately creating unrest — not just in the political space, but also in society at large.

“We now live in a country of propaganda and lies – and they manufacture it,” Obi lamented. “They are trying to put problems everywhere — they want to even put problems in families.”

Obi did not mention specific names within the party or government but alluded to recent public exchanges and controversies involving Labour Party leadership, notably National Chairman Julius Abure, who has faced criticism from party stakeholders over alleged misconduct and divisive statements.

“I don’t need to tell you… when you have a party chairman who calls a state governor a dwarf and refers to dwarf thinking… Forget about me, okay, I’m weak — but it’s not weak. Is every other person there weak?”

Obi said, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to Abure’s recent clash with LP governors and senior members.

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The LP has been embroiled in a protracted internal crisis since the aftermath of the 2023 elections, with factional disputes, legal battles, and accusations of financial impropriety weakening the party’s cohesion.

Multiple camps within the party have accused each other of collusion with external forces to derail the party’s mission and credibility.

Obi’s comments suggest that these divisions may be exacerbated by external political interference, rather than being purely organic or ideological.

Political analysts believe Obi’s statements mark a sharp escalation in rhetoric from the former presidential hopeful, who has typically maintained a cautious tone in national discourse.

According to Dr. Ayo Bello, a political scientist at the University of Lagos: “Obi’s claim is significant because it reflects growing frustration not just with internal party strife but with what many opposition figures perceive as a broader climate of political suppression and destabilization under the current administration.”

While the presidency is yet to officially respond to Obi’s allegations, government supporters argue that the Labour Party’s internal troubles are self-inflicted and stem from poor internal governance and leadership struggles, rather than state-sponsored interference.

Nonetheless, Obi’s accusation adds to the increasingly polarized political atmosphere, where opposition voices claim they are being intentionally weakened or distracted through tactics designed to stifle dissent.

As the Labour Party looks to regroup ahead of future elections, observers say the outcome of its internal battles — and the government’s response to Obi’s accusations — could shape the trajectory of Nigeria’s opposition politics in the years ahead.