"Obi Won Is Past Tense": Isaac Balami Defends APC Defection on Arise News
In an intense encounter on Arise News, host Charles Aniagolu confronted Isaac Balami—aviation entrepreneur and former Deputy Campaign Manager of the 2023 Labour Party (Obi-Datti) Presidential Campaign Council—over his high-profile defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following his recent meeting with Seyi Tinubu to pledge over 12 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, Balami addressed accusations of political opportunism, detailing the field failures that led to the Labour Party's legal defeat and explaining his shift toward the ruling party.
Deep-Dive Analysis
The Collapse of Structure: Why Balami Walked Away from the Labour Party
Balami defended his decision to leave the Labour Party by pointing to what he characterized as a fundamental breakdown in organizational discipline, logistics, and legal preparation during the 2023 presidential election.
- Failure to Secure Polling Unit Results: Balami asserted that despite raising 300,000 volunteer agents and funding campaign retreats out of pocket, the Labour Party leadership failed to organize, deploy, or pay agents nationwide, leaving them without Form EC8A proof during post-election litigation.
- Dismissal of Ground Strategy: He highlighted that critical advice from campaign figures and support groups was ignored, creating an operational vacuum that cost the movement its ability to substantiate claims in court.
- Abandonment of Loyal Mobilizers: Balami noted that dedicated volunteers and key figures who risked personal resources were neglected after the election, leading to widespread disillusionment within the rank and file.
"Even though I said I believed Peter Obi won the 2023 elections, it is past tense... We went to court and we had no Form EC8A because we had no agents. Nigerians came out in millions to support the Obidient movement and Labour Party. We dashed their hope. We failed them."
Ethnic Inclusivity and Economic Reforms: The Case for "Batification"
Responding to charges that he traded principle for proximity to power, Balami argued that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration has delivered on key structural and minority representation issues that previous governments ignored.
- Empowerment of Northern Minorities: Balami emphasized that ethnic and religious minorities in the Northeast are receiving recognition and direct security support, citing local forest guard recruitment and local government autonomy implementation.
- Long-Term Macroeconomic Policy: He pointed to structural economic reforms, foreign direct investment inflows, and youth appointments across federal agencies as indicators of progress despite current public hardship.
- Transition to Next-Gen Leadership: Balami contended that President Tinubu is building a bridge for young professionals and political figures to assume national leadership by 2031.
"I will be a liar to come on open air and say there's no suffering in the land. But I'll also be blind and very unfair to say there are no economic reforms since the '70s happening for the first time... Politics is all about interest. It's not religion."
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