A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, describing him as “lazy” in structural and strategic political thinking.
Showunmi made the remarks on Saturday during an interview on Hard Copy, a programme aired on Channels Television.
He questioned Obi’s political decisions since the 2023 elections, arguing that the former Anambra State governor failed to build a stable platform that could support a long-term presidential ambition.
“Peter Obi is not serious. He doesn’t know where his victory card is,” Showunmi said. “He could have stayed in the Labour Party, and there could have been a clear path to victory for him.”
According to Showunmi, Obi’s frequent political realignments show a lack of commitment to party structure and grassroots organisation.
“Every time he’s moving around. When it comes to structural thinking, Peter Obi is very lazy,” he said.
He argued that Obi missed an opportunity to consolidate influence earlier in his career, noting that long-term party loyalty matters in Nigerian politics.
“He is too lazy to think that if he had remained in APGA all this while, he couldn’t have built the crowd he has now,” Showunmi added.
The PDP chieftain also criticised Obi’s current political alliances, suggesting they weaken his chances in future elections.
“Now he has aligned himself with people among whom I know he can’t even win a primary,” he said.
Showunmi singled out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a formidable force within party politics due to decades of experience.
“I know Atiku very well, and nobody takes him for granted when it comes to primaries because he has institutional experience of how these things work since 1992,” he said.
He concluded that it was unrealistic for Obi’s supporters to insist on his candidacy within a party dominated by established figures.
“You don’t come into a political party with that kind of man and start shouting that if it’s not Peter Obi, you won’t agree. Who will listen to that?” Showunmi asked.
