Peter Obi's departure has created a gap in the Labour Party, according to its Spokesperson

Ken Asogwa, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, has conceded that the exit of the party's former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has left a significant void within the opposition party.

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This admission was made by Asogwa on Monday during his appearance on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme, where he was reacting to Obi's recent alignment with the African Democratic Congress-led coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

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Asogwa acknowledged that the party cannot ignore the fact that it lost a key figure in Obi, describing him as a "colossus" within the party, and noting that his departure has had a profound impact.

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He recalled stating previously that Obi's exit had left a void in the party, underscoring the significance of his departure.

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According to Asogwa, the party had anticipated Obi's exit long before it officially occurred on December 31 and had already initiated measures to mitigate its effects.

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Asogwa explained that prior to Obi's departure, rumours of his impending exit were already circulating, and the new leadership had taken steps to cushion the impact of his departure.

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The party subsequently re-evaluated its strategy, returning "to the drawing board" to rebuild its structure and political base, Asogwa said.

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The Labour Party identified its strongest institutional support base in the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, which Asogwa described as the party's greatest potential.

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Asogwa stated that the party successfully reconciled with these institutional members, who had been alienated by the former leadership, and brought them back into the fold.

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The spokesperson expressed confidence that the party still has the capacity to produce another formidable presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.

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Asogwa asserted that the Labour Party, which previously produced a strong presidential candidate, now has an even greater capacity to produce someone of similar stature.

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These comments come months after the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Obi, demanding that he formally resign from the party following his participation in the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress.

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PUNCH Online had reported that Obi was unveiled as a prominent figure in the ADC coalition, which aims to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

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In response, Labour Party National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh accused Obi of maintaining "dual political loyalties" and described the coalition as a gathering of "power mongers".