In a startling admission during an interview with Arise News, Abayomi Arabambi, the factional National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, confessed that the party misled Nigerians about the real reasons for its failure in the 2023 general election. Arabambi stated that the party’s inability to deploy agents to over 54,000 polling units significantly undermined its chances, contrary to the public narrative that was presented post-election.
According to Arabambi, while the party had over 189,000 polling units to cover, it failed to field agents in a large percentage due to mismanagement and internal control issues. He revealed that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, handed over the election operations—including logistics, uploads, and finances—to a select group of individuals who were ultimately responsible for the breakdown.
The individuals named by Arabambi included activist Aisha Yesufu, Pastor Itua Agadahlo, former PDP gubernatorial candidate Valentine Ozigbo, and Obi’s aide Oseloka Obaze, who served as Secretary to the State Government in Anambra. Arabambi disclosed that Oseloka recently resigned, while Ozigbo defected to the APC. He accused the four of mismanaging responsibilities critical to the party’s performance at the polls.
Arabambi acknowledged his own role in what he described as a deception of the Nigerian public. He said that beyond the current internal crisis involving Nenadi Usman, the more pressing matter was the need to come clean about what truly transpired during the election. He expressed his willingness to seek forgiveness from Nigerians and extend a personal apology to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for previously peddling what he now claims were misleading claims.
“I’m going to lay it bare and ask for forgiveness from Nigerians because we actually misled Nigerians over why we failed that election. Three people were responsible for why we lost that election… We were unable to field agents in 54,000 polling units after 189,000. When Peter Obi came, he took over the party machinery and handed over to Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo and the man that absconded, Valentine Ozigbo, and Oseloka, his SSG… One just resigned four days ago, that was Oseloka. The other one absconded to the APC while we have Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Agadahlo. They were the ones that handled party finances,” Arabambi said.
