Says decentralised structure reflects growth, not crisis
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Obidient Movement on Wednesday firmly dismissed reports of an alleged internal crisis within its ranks, describing such claims as a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the evolution of a citizen-driven political movement built around the ideals of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The movement maintained that it remains united and focused on its core objective of promoting accountable leadership, economic development, fairness, and good governance, insisting that differences in strategies among its various support groups do not amount to division.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, the movement said recent media reports suggesting cracks within its structure were “manufactured” and designed to distract supporters from its mission.
“We have become aware of ongoing, manufactured media reports suggesting that the Obidient Movement is experiencing internal divisions or fracturing. We unequivocally refute this claim,” Umar stated.
According to him, what critics have chosen to portray as disunity is merely the natural evolution of a broad-based coalition of Nigerians united by a common vision for national transformation.
He said: “What those who oppose the current system perceive as disunity is, in fact, the organic and decentralised evolution of a citizen-led coalition.
“To grasp why the Obidient Movement is resilient to traditional political fault lines, one must acknowledge that the movement embodies an idea of governance anchored on accountability principles of our principal, Peter Obi.”
The spokesman stressed that the movement was never designed to function as a conventional political organisation with a rigid chain of command, but rather as a platform driven by shared values and collective aspirations.
He said: “It is not a conventional political organisation that operates under a rigid hierarchy. The Obidient Movement is founded upon shared values such as accountability, economic advancement, systemic fairness and capable leadership as embodied by Peter Obi.”
Umar explained that while various civic groups and support clusters associated with the movement may adopt different approaches in pursuing their objectives, they remain committed to the same vision of building a better Nigeria.
“While various civic groups across the nation may employ different strategies, their collective objective is a unified vision for a New Nigeria,” he added.
The movement further argued that its decentralised character remains one of its greatest strengths because it prevents any single individual or group from hijacking or compromising the aspirations of its supporters.
“The organic decentralised nature of the Obidient Movement is its source of strength. The absence of a central, easily influenced or compromised leadership body prevents any single individual or subgroup from compromising the aspirations of millions,” Umar stated.
“The movement belongs to the Nigerian populace, not to a select group of politicians.”
Reaffirming its commitment to Obi’s governance philosophy, the movement said its mission had remained unchanged since its emergence ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“The central mission remains unaltered along Peter Obi’s principles and approach to governance,” the statement said.
It added: “Let it be unequivocally understood by both supporters and critics that the Obidient Movement’s steadfast commitment to ending the transactional politics that have held Nigeria captive is absolute. There is no division whatsoever regarding our fundamental objectives.”
The group urged Nigerians and its supporters across the world to ignore what it described as coordinated campaigns aimed at creating the impression of instability within the movement.
“We implore the public and our vast network of organic supporters globally to dismiss these deliberately orchestrated campaigns of distraction.
“The movement is unified, vigilant and remains singularly focused on achieving the socio-economic liberation of Nigeria,” Umar said.
The statement comes amid increasing political activities and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with various political groups and stakeholders repositioning for future contests.
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