Obidient: a loose movement Peter Obi can’t control
The Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, enjoyed a massive and rare support of the youths, most of whom are understandably tired of the current political system. They did a serious work for him to push him to the top job or office in the country.
The Obidient movement would be part of the political history for the fact that they could garner more than six million votes for a political party that takes the back seat in the nation. Barely eight months to the general elections, the group was able to rally round the presidential candidate of the party.
Twelve states including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory were delivered for Peter Obi, surprisingly, though he failed to win the majority of the total votes cast in the country. However, Peter Obi himself has no power or influence over the Obidient movement.
As a result of his clear inability to control the movement, the group determines most of what he does or says. The ex Anambra State governor can’t even identify the leaders of the movement because their main convergence is the social media.
Peter Obi must have seen that he has no good case to prove in the Presidential Election Tribunal. Yet he has approached the court for some frivolous prayers. He wants the court to declare him as the winner of the election or order a rerun between Tinubu and him.
He knows for sure that his demands are mere illusions. He is embarking on a wild goose chase. As an intellectual, he ought to understand the basic rudiments of the electoral laws. And he should have accepted the defeat and start preparing for the future.
Nevertheless, the ex governor wouldn’t want to appear as sabotaging the efforts of the Obidient. The rather aggressive members of the group have been pushing him to reject the results and act.
Mr. Peter Obi can’t decide for himself. Since the Independent National Electoral Commission concluded the exercise, there have been lots of campaign of impunity against the commission. It’s come under destructive criticisms from the Obidient.
Of course, there are some issues with the elections. Pockets of violence were reported in some parts of the country. Yet the electoral commission did follow the procedures as enshrined in the electoral act.
Peter Obi ought to have called on the movement and its members to stop demeaning the commission at least in the interest of the nation. He has refused to do that perhaps not to offend the Obidient.
The spokesperson for president-elect Bola Tinubu, Mr. Festus Keyamo has petitioned the Department of the State Service (DSS) over remarks that both Peter Obi and his running mate Ahmed Datti have made. They are actually moved by the Obidient to act and rekindle inflammatory comments.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria Ariwoola is now in the eye of the storm. The top judge in the federation has been dragged into the mud by the Obidient. The Nigerian judiciary system isn’t perfect at all. There are lots of obstacles in the justice delivery. Yet it is wrong to look for scapegoat in the system.
If he headed the movement, Peter Obi would call for a “ceasefire”, but he can’t because he himself is a mere member. He has no power over them. Isn’t it necessary now for Obi to have a deep thought and redesign his plans?
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