Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed claims that Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi poses a significant political threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on TVC News’ Beyond The Headlines on Monday, the former Edo State governor argued that Obi’s impressive performance in the 2023 presidential election was largely a product of widespread public frustration with the economic hardship triggered by policies implemented under the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Responding to questions about whether the APC was underestimating Obi’s political influence, particularly after his victory in Lagos and strong showing across the South-East in the last presidential election, Oshiomhole insisted that the former Anambra State governor benefited from an “unusual political situation” rather than personal political strength.
“Obi was produced by an unusual situation when a ruling party decided to destroy itself, making anybody running on its platform almost unelectable. It was that confusion that produced those votes,” Oshiomhole said.
The former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress attributed the wave of support for Obi to the public outrage sparked by the naira redesign policy and the nationwide fuel scarcity that preceded the 2023 election.
According to him, many Nigerians were unable to access their money despite having funds in their bank accounts, forcing them to endure long queues at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) with little or no success.
“People had money in the bank but couldn’t access it. They queued all night at ATM machines just to withdraw ₦10,000, and after a week, even the ATMs were dry,” he said.
Oshiomhole also pointed to the high charges imposed by Point of Sale (POS) operators during the cash shortage, saying the hardship fueled public resentment against the ruling party.
“Someone asked why people would queue all night to withdraw ₦5,000, then queue again for fuel, and still expect them to queue on election day to vote for the same government. That anger was what produced Obi,” he added.
The senator argued that the electorate had already become disillusioned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the APC government’s economic policies further deepened public frustration in the lead-up to the election.
Recalling interactions with constituents, Oshiomhole said many Nigerians openly blamed the government for the hardship caused by the cash crunch.
“A woman in my village told me, ‘You said I should keep my money in the bank, but when I went to collect it, they said there was no money. At the POS, they deducted ₦2,000 from ₦5,000. How do I survive?'”
Despite acknowledging the impact of the policies, Oshiomhole maintained that the economic measures responsible for the hardship were not part of the APC’s political agenda.
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