LP logo | File Image
Obidient Movement: We remain fiercely independent
By Valentine Amanze
The leaders of Nigeria’s influential Obidient Movement have denounced the Labour Party’s (LP) recent decision to establish an “Obedient Directorate.”
In its objection to the “Obedient Directorate,” floated by the LP’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, in May, the Obidient Movement described the action as an attempt to usurp its grassroots-driven force.
In the statement titled, “We Vehemently Reject Julius Abure’s Attempt to Usurp the Obidient Movement”, the leading conveners of the Obidient Movement, representing 261 support groups, expressed their outrage and unequivocal rejection of the new directorate.
The group, which reassured of its independent origins and its critical role in reviving the Labour Party’s political fortunes, wondered why Peter Obi was not consulted before setting up the directorate.
“We, the leading 261 conveners of the Obidient Movement support groups, are compelled to issue this statement, rejecting Julius Abure’s brazen attempt to co-opt the Obidient Movement by creating an ‘Obedient Directorate’ within the Labour Party,” the group stated.
It, however, traced its roots back to 2019, rallying around the candidacy of Peter Obi, and gaining significant momentum in 2022, when Obi announced his presidential ambitions.
Julius Abure, LP chief | File Image
The movement pointed out that their alignment with the Labour Party (LP) was solely a result of Peter Obi’s candidacy and not due to any inherent loyalty to the party itself.
Their words: “The Obidient Movement predates Peter Obi’s entry into the Labour Party and is a global force far more potent than the Labour Party, which had not seen electoral success since Olusegun Mimiko’s 2007 governorship win in Ondo.”
The statement highlighted the movement’s contributions to the Labour Party’s recent electoral successes, including securing seven Senate seats, thirty-five House of Representatives seats, and the presidency for Peter Obi.
Also read: Obidient Movement beyond political party – Obi
However, the leaders accused Abure and his party of failing to protect the victories.
“The Labour Party had one job in the 2023 elections: to protect the votes and secure the victory achieved by the Obidients. On this simple task, Julius Abure and his party failed spectacularly—failing Peter Obi, failing the millions of Obidients worldwide, and failing Nigeria’s future generations,” the statement asserted.
As part of its repositioning efforts, the Labour Party announced the establishment of the Obedient Directorate. It appointed Marcel Ngogbehei as Director, Aju Elumelu as Deputy Director (Diaspora), and Mariam Ismaila as Deputy Director.
The conveners called on Abure to abandon his plans and engage in sincere dialogue with the true stakeholders of the movement.
Obidient Movement’s full statement, with the signatories:
We Vehemently Reject Julius Abure’s Attempt to Usurp theObidient Movement
June 2, 2024
We, the leading 261 conveners of the Obidient Movement support groups, are compelled to issue this statement, rejecting Julius Abure’s brazen attempt to co-opt the Obidient Movement by creating an ‘Obedient Directorate’ within the Labour Party.
Let the records reflect: the Obidient Movement comprises millions of Nigerian citizens committed to the vision of a New Nigeria.
This movement began in earnest in 2019, rallying behind the candidacy of His Excellency Peter Obi, and gained unstoppable momentum in 2022 when Peter Obi declared his intention to run for president.
The Obidient Movement predates Peter Obi’s entry into the Labour Party and is a global force far more potent than the Labour Party, which had not seen electoral success since Olusegun Mimiko’s 2007 governorship win in Ondo.
The Obidient Movement’s alignment with the Labour Party was purely a consequence of Peter Obi’s presidential candidacy. It was the Obidient Movement that elevated the Labour Party from electoral obscurity to a political powerhouse, securing seven (7) Senate seats, thirty-five (35) House of Representatives seats, and, crucially, the presidency for Peter Obi.
The Labour Party had one job in the 2023 elections: to protect the votes and secure the victory achieved by the Obidients. On this simple task, Julius Abure and his party failed spectacularly—failing Peter Obi, failing the millions of Obidients worldwide, and failing Nigeria’s future generations.
Instead of seeking forgiveness for this monumental failure, Julius Abure is now arrogantly attempting to subsume the Obidient Movement under the Labour Party’s control.
This delusion is akin to a tadpole trying to swallow a blue whale.
This ludicrous scheme, no doubt concocted within the corridors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—whose president and cronies are desperate to undermine Peter Obi’s popularity and the unstoppable force of the Obidient Movement—is doomed to fail.
Abure’s unilateral decision to proceed without consulting Peter Obi or the core of the movement, the Obidient Support Group, exposes his bad faith intentions.
The appointment of Marcel Ngogbehei as director of the ill-conceived Obidient Directorate further unmasks the deceit.
Ngogbehei, a UK-based native of Imo State who posed as an Edo indigene during the 2023 campaigns, is a discredited figure with a history of corruption, wholly unsuited to any leadership role within the movement.
Ngogbehei’s attempts to portray himself as ‘The Obidient Leader’ are laughable. The Obidient Movement recognises no leader other than Peter Obi.
Ngogbehei, a grifter with a tainted past, is not, and will never be, a figure of influence within our ranks.
The Obidient Movement should be the beacon of democratic ideals, transparency, and grassroots organisation for the Labour Party, not the other way around.
Julius Abure, we stand ready to offer you a masterclass in genuine leadership.
In conclusion, we categorically reject the creation of an Obidient Directorate within the Labour Party.
We explicitly reject the appointment of a charlatan like Marcel Ngogbehei to any position of authority within the movement.
We call on Julius Abure to halt this destructive plot and engage in sincere dialogue with the true stakeholders of the Obidient Movement, starting with His Excellency Peter Obi.
To all Nigerians, at home and abroad, be advised: We, the conveners of the Obidient Movement’s support groups, organisations, and super PACs, remain fiercely INDEPENDENT.
We are not, and will never be, an appendage of the Labour Party.
Anyone collaborating with Julius Abure’s so-called Obidient Directorate or contributing funds to it does so at their own peril. This directorate has no connection to the true Obidient Movement and is merely a cunning ploy to dismantle Peter Obi’s political structure.
Thank you.
Signed
1. Mubarak Bawa
The Obidient Conveners Collective
Comprising 223 Peter Obi Support Group Conveners
07067691945
2. Barr. Daniel Elomba
Co-Convener
Peter Obi Support Network (POSN)
+44 7460 770987
3. Ekene Nwakuche
Co-Convener
Like Minds for Peter Obi (LMPO)
07054009099
4. Hon. Justin Kingland
Convener
Nigeria Needs Peter Obi (NNPO)
08107438819
5. Dr. Ebere Obiesie
Convener
Women for Peter Obi (WPO)
08033097454 and many others.
valoa2000@yahoo.com
