By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Labour Party (LP) has disowned Abayomi Arabambi, who reportedly instituted a suit against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), seeking access to the academic records of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.
The party said Arabambi was no longer a member of the Labour Party and could not, therefore, have instituted the suit as a representative or chieftain of the party.
In a statement on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Ken Eluma Asogwa, said the party was reacting to media reports describing Arabambi as an “LP chieftain” in connection with the suit.
Asogwa specifically cited reports by The Punch and Vanguard, which described Arabambi as an “LP chieftain” who sued WAEC, UNN and NYSC over Obi’s academic credentials.
“While the Labour Party wishes to refrain from commenting on the substance or otherwise of the litigant’s case before the court, particularly as Mr. Peter Obi is not a member of the Party, the Labour Party wishes to notify the general public that Abayomi Arabambi is not a member of the Labour Party,” he said.
According to Asogwa, the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), on March 18, 2026, suspended 25 members over alleged infractions bordering on anti-party activities, with Arabambi among those affected.
He said the suspension was subsequently ratified by the party’s National Convention, its highest decision-making organ, on April 28, 2026.
“Following the said ratification, the affected members ceased to be members of the Party,” Asogwa said, adding that no organ of the party had since revisited or reversed the decision.
The LP spokesman said it was, therefore, inaccurate to describe Arabambi as a member or chieftain of the party in connection with the suit.
“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 unauthorised and, prima facie, amounts to impersonation,” he said.
Asogwa disclosed that the matter was being reviewed by the party’s lawyers to determine appropriate legal and other measures, including a possible petition to law enforcement authorities.
He stressed that the statement was issued solely to clarify Arabambi’s relationship with the Labour Party and should not be construed as the party’s position on the merits of his case against Obi.
“The Labour Party nonetheless hopes that this statement has put the matter in its proper perspective and, most importantly, clarified the status of Abayomi Arabambi vis-à-vis the Labour Party,” he said.