NEWS
Anambra 2021 PDP Governorship Candidate Valentine Ozigbo Declares Tinubu “Only Man Bold Enough to Restructure Nigeria,” Says Peter Obi Failed Leadership Test in Labour Party
A former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra State election, Valentine Chineto Ozigbo, has stirred fresh political debate after openly declaring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the only Nigerian leader with the courage to restructure the country.
Ozigbo, who contested the 2021 governorship election in Anambra State, made the remarks while reflecting on his political journey and experiences within Nigeria’s major political parties. In his comments, he also criticised the leadership of the Labour Party, including its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi.
Speaking on the issue of leadership and party structure, Ozigbo argued that Tinubu possesses the boldness required to carry out fundamental reforms in Nigeria, particularly on the long-debated issue of restructuring.
“Bola Tinubu is the only person who has the boldness to restructure Nigeria. I was hoping that the Labour Party was going to be the alternative but I went through the Labour Party, I now discovered they were even worse than the parties they were criticising and some of the people in leadership including Mr Peter Obi, for me, failed that leadership test because he couldn’t galvanise the Labour Party that’s why you see the losses in various states. Even in my own case, I was literally sacrificed for whatever reason. I saw this coming and I couldn’t believe it,” he said.
The former governorship aspirant expressed disappointment with the internal workings of the Labour Party, noting that his expectations of the party as a credible political alternative were dashed after experiencing its internal processes.
According to him, the inability of the party’s leadership to unite and mobilize its structure across the country contributed to its electoral setbacks in several states.
Ozigbo further explained that although he does not agree with every aspect of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he believes working within the party would give him a better platform to engage with serious political actors and push for reforms.
“Some of us don’t like the ways of the APC but is better for me to be inside there and engage them to do better. It is better to be with serious people than to be with I serious people,“ he stated.
His remarks are expected to generate reactions within Nigeria’s political space, particularly among supporters of the Labour Party and allies of Peter Obi, who emerged as a major political force during the 2023 presidential election.
Ozigbo’s comments also add a new dimension to the ongoing national conversation on restructuring, leadership credibility, and the evolving alliances shaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of future electoral contests.