By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Labour Party has disowned Abayomi Arabambi, who reportedly instituted a court action involving the academic records of National Democratic Party (NDC) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, insisting that he is no longer a member of the party and could not have filed the case as its representative or chieftain.

In a press release dated September 14, 2026, signed by Ken Eluma Asogwa, National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, the party said Arabambi was among 25 members suspended by its National Executive Council (NEC) on March 18, 2026, over various infractions bordering on anti-party activities, with the suspension subsequently ratified by the party's National Convention.

The party said it was reacting after reports in the media described Arabambi as an “LP chieftain” who had sued the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) over Obi's credentials.

The Labour Party said it initially chose not to respond to the reports when they circulated on social media, but was compelled to issue a clarification after the story appeared in mainstream newspapers, including The Punch and Vanguard.

“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,” the statement said.

According to the party, its NEC suspended 25 members on March 18 over various infractions, including alleged anti-party activities, and Arabambi was among those affected.

It said the suspension was subsequently ratified by the National Convention, the party's highest decision-making organ, on April 28, 2026.

The party maintained that following the ratification, the affected individuals ceased to be members and that no organ of the Labour Party had subsequently sat to revisit or reverse the decision.

“Following the said ratification, the affected members ceased to be members of the Party. 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 Labour Party stated.

It therefore urged the media and the general public to stop presenting Arabambi as a Labour Party member or representative in relation to the case against Obi.

The party said Arabambi had long severed ties with it and could not have instituted the court action as a member of the organisation.

“It is therefore against this background that the Labour Party wishes to inform the general public, and particularly the media, that Abayomi Arabambi is not a member of the Labour Party and could not have instituted any action in court as a member of the Party, having long severed ties with the Labour Party,” it said.

The party further warned that if Arabambi had presented himself as a chieftain or representative of the Labour Party, such representation was unauthorised.

It said its lawyers were reviewing the matter to determine appropriate legal and other steps, including the possibility of petitioning relevant law enforcement authorities.

“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,” the statement said.

The Labour Party, however, stressed that its clarification was not intended to determine the validity or otherwise of the claims contained in the court action concerning Obi's academic records.

It said the statement was issued solely to clarify Arabambi's status in relation to the party.

“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,” the party stated.

The Labour Party expressed hope that the statement would put the matter in proper perspective and clarify Arabambi's current status vis-à-vis the organisation.