Clement Jimbo, the first-term House of Representatives member for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has boldly predicted that Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, will fail to secure victory even in his own polling unit during the 2027 general elections.
In an exclusive interview with TheCable's Samuel Akpan published on February 28, 2026, Jimbo dismissed Obi's political relevance, stating: "He is not going to win his polling unit, mark my words."
He attributed this to Obi's history of switching parties, from APGA to PDP, then Labour Party, and now reportedly aligning with the ADC, describing it as a lack of direction.
"If you have a flight to catch at a certain time, and you are not moving towards the airport, you will never catch that flight," Jimbo said.
"So I can tell you that Mr Peter Obi is moving against the direction of winning any election in this country."
Jimbo challenged claims of Obi's grassroots strength, pointing out the absence of Labour Party agents in polling units during past elections, including his own in Abak urban ward 1.
He argued that Obi's support is largely online and noisy but ineffective at the ballot: "Elections are not done on social media. How many of them voted? That was why it was a problem for them when the court asked them to produce copies of the results. So, Peter Obi is only making noise. He cannot win any election in Nigeria."
On the emerging opposition coalition coalescing around the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jimbo downplayed its threat to the APC.
"APC is not afraid of anyone, and I say this as a matter of fact," he declared. He highlighted the APC's dominance controlling over 30 states, 248 House seats, 78 Senate seats, and more than 587 state assembly seats stemming from genuine mergers where predecessor parties dissolved.
In contrast, he noted that PDP and LP still exist independently per INEC records, questioning the coalition's coherence: "Go to the INEC website, and you will see that the PDP and the Labour Party still exist. So who is deceiving whom?" He emphasized that majority rule defines democracy, making it improbable for any group to dislodge the APC.
Defending the House's ratification of emergency rule in Rivers State, Jimbo insisted the process was smooth and unanimous. With over 240 members present (meeting the two-thirds requirement), a voice vote drew no dissent: "When the speaker called for a voice vote, there was no dissenting voice, meaning it was unanimous.
"So, when it is unanimous, why do you need to go into voting? Why do you want to waste parliamentary time?"Jimbo expressed strong optimism that the 10th National Assembly will successfully conclude the ongoing constitution amendment process, including provisions for state policing (supported by the president and governors), local government financial autonomy, and enhanced women's political participation.
He lamented Nigeria's low ranking in women's representation and urged advocates to lobby lawmakers directly, particularly in northern regions where he described cultural barriers as requiring "superior" enlightenment to overcome resistance.
Praising Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, Jimbo said the governor has fostered remarkable peace and unity: "In the last three months, there has not been any crime recorded in Akwa Ibom state because of unity."
He added that even without further infrastructure projects, Eno has succeeded as a leader.
Finally, Jimbo confirmed his intention to seek re-election in 2027, expressing confidence based on his performance: "My constituents are completely pleased because we have surmounted their expectations.
"I promised them effective representation, shared prosperity and responsible leadership. We have fulfilled that in the last two and a half years. So, I’m confident that they will vote for me when the time comes."
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