… considers litigation over impersonation, misrepresentation
By Ime Silas
The Labour Party has publicly distanced itself from one Abayomi Arabambi, the individual who recently filed a suit against the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, over the academic records of its former presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, insisting that he ceased to be a member of the party more than five months ago.
In a press statement issued on Monday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, the party said Arabambi was among 25 members suspended by the National Executive Council, NEC, on March 18, 2026, for alleged anti-party activities. That decision, according to the party, was later ratified by its National Convention on April 28, 2026, the highest decision-making organ of the Labour Party.
“Following the said ratification, the affected members ceased to be members of the Party,” Asogwa stated.
According to the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, “It is also worth mentioning that, since the above decision was taken by the Labour Party, no organ of the Party has sat to revisit or reverse the decision concerning the expelled members.”
The clarification comes after several mainstream newspapers carried reports over the weekend with captions such as “LP chieftain sues WAEC, UNN, NYSC over Obi’s credentials” and “2027: Obi’s credentials under probe as LP chieftain sues WAEC, UNN, NYSC.” The stories, which circulated widely on social media before gaining traction in print, linked Arabambi’s legal action directly to the Labour Party.
The party said it initially chose not to respond, believing it would only “feed the desires of some clout chasers.” However, it said a formal reaction became necessary once the reports appeared in respected national dailies including The Punch and Vanguard.
While carefully avoiding comment on the merits of the case itself, the Labour Party stressed that the suit has no institutional backing from it. The Party also noted that Mr. Peter Obi is no longer a member of the Labour Party.
“If Abayomi Arabambi has presented himself to the public as a chieftain or representative of the Labour Party, the general public is hereby notified that such representation is entirely unauthorized and, prima facie, amounts to impersonation,” the statement read.
Asogwa added that the party’s legal team is currently reviewing the matter to determine “the appropriate legal and other steps that may be taken, including a possible petition to the relevant law enforcement authorities.”
Arabambi’s suit, filed in a federal court, names WAEC, NYSC and UNN as respondents and seeks to compel the release and verification of documents relating to Obi’s academic history.
The Labour Party, however, was emphatic that it wants no association drawn between its name and the litigation.
“Finally, the public is hereby notified that this press release is issued solely to clarify the alleged relationship between the litigant and the Labour Party and has no bearing whatsoever on the validity or otherwise of his claims against Mr. Peter Obi before the court,” Asogwa said.
He further noted that the statement was intended “to put the matter in its proper perspective and, most importantly, clarified the status of Abayomi Arabambi vis-à-vis the Labour Party.”
The suspension of the 25 members in March was widely reported at the time, with the NEC citing breaches of party discipline and conduct deemed harmful to the party’s cohesion. With the April convention ratification, the party maintains that those affected, including Arabambi, no longer speak for or represent the Labour Party in any capacity.
As of press time, there has been no public response from Arabambi to the Labour Party’s statement.
