Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general election, has reiterated that he remains a member of the party, despite his involvement in a new political coalition.

Obi made the clarification during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, dismissing speculation that his participation in the coalition under the African Democratic Congress, ADC, meant he had left the Laour Party.

Obi, who joined the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections, recently aligned with several prominent political leaders under the ADC-led coalition, a movement aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu through the ballot in the next general election.

Also part of the coalition are notable figures including former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi; former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former Senate President David Mark; and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“Today, I’m an LP member and I remain in LP, but we have all agreed to work together in coalition for the 2027 election, and for that, we have adopted ADC,” Peter Obi said.

Julius Abure, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, recently suggested that Obi and others had effectively exited the party by participating in the unveiling of ADC as the coalition’s political platform.

In the same statement, Abure also urged Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, to stop “deceiving members of the public” about his affiliation, claiming that Otti had joined the caretaker committee of the coalition party.

Abure stated that the Labour Party leadership is moving swiftly to recalibrate and reposition the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

While Obi has not formally announced his departure from the Labour Party, other key coalition members such as Amaechi, El-Rufai, and Atiku Abubakar have reportedly withdrawn from their former parties.

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has stated that no discussions have taken place within the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress, ADC platform regarding who will emerge as the presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Obi asserted that the decision ultimately rests with the Nigerian people.

The former governor of Anambra State made the remark on Sunday while speaking on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics.

He said: “Again, this is not in play. Nobody has ever discussed that (being running mate to Atiku). People assume so many things. Nobody has ever discussed with me whether I’m going to be A or B or C, that he is going to contest for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I don’t believe in assumptions.

“I’m part of a coalition which will be able to produce a competent president with capacity.

“There’s no option here. So we’re not talking about options. It has to be on the ballot. Well, the rest is for Nigerians to decide.”

OSUNDAILY NG reported that the opposition coalition on Wednesday formally adopted ADC as its official political platform for the 2027 elections, with the aim of unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The coalition is being led by prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; and Mr Peter Obi, among others.

Also reported by OSUNDAILY NG was the appointment of former Senate President, David Mark, as the interim National Chairman of ADC, and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary.

Passers-by and residents in Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, have reportedly rescued a Nigerian soldier from being swept away by floodwaters.

According to OSUNDAILY NG, the unidentified military personnel fell into a drainage channel near the Igbira camp during a heavy downpour over the weekend.

The soldier, said to be attached to the Nigerian Army School of Engineering, located near Auchi, reportedly lost his footing while attempting to leap across the flooded drainage and fell in.

He narrowly escaped death, thanks to the swift intervention of passers-by and local residents.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldier was swept away by the surging floodwaters.

“Passers-by and other residents in the area quickly ran after him on the road. They placed a barricade and laid wait at the other end of the drainage and rescued the embattled soldier alive,” the source recounted.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

However, a source close to the Brigade confirmed that the soldier is not under the 4 Brigade’s command but is attached to a training institution in Auchi. The source also confirmed that the soldier was rescued alive.