Bashir Ahmad Slams Labour Party’s 48-Hour Ultimatum to Peter Obi

Former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has described as disrespectful the ultimatum given to former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to resign from the party within 48 hours.

Ahmad made his position known in a statement posted on his verified X handle, stressing that Obi was instrumental in giving the Labour Party national prominence during the 2023 general elections.

The Julius Abure-led faction of the LP had issued the ultimatum, threatening to expel Obi if he failed to step down voluntarily.

Abure’s leadership strongly opposed Obi’s recent moves to align with a broader opposition coalition, labelling members of the coalition as “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.”

In response, Ahmad said it was unfair for the LP to turn against the politician who, according to him, transformed the party’s national profile.

“I am not a fan of Peter Obi or his ideologies, but let’s be honest, it is incredibly disrespectful for the Labour Party to ask him to resign from the party within hours. It is utterly ungrateful,” Ahmad stated.

He argued that Obi remains the main driver of the LP’s current popularity and support base.

“No exaggeration, but at least 75% of the party’s current base and momentum exist because of him. His entry gave the party national relevance. You don’t treat the person who built your house like a visitor,” he added.

Peter Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, is now one of the prominent figures in the emerging opposition coalition, which recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of its structure ahead of the 2027 elections.