ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The chief spokesman of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, has declared that the Obidient Movement transcends both the Labour Party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
During an interview on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief” on Friday, Tanko emphasized that the Obidient Movement should not be tied to any political party as it has its own distinct identity and mission.
“It’s bigger than the Labour Party. It is so because it is a move of its own that has a life of its own. What they are interested in is good governance,” Tanko stated.
He further elaborated that supporters, known as Obidients, prioritize good governance and will hold both the party and its candidate accountable if they deviate from these principles.
“Even if the Labour Party is doing something wrong, they can challenge it. Let me go further. Even His Excellency [Peter Obi], if he does something that is not aligned with good governance, we would challenge it.
“They are loyal to the messages that connect to good governance and Peter Obi is championing that particular good governance,” Tanko added.
READ ALSO: Obidient Movement Beyond Political Party – Peter Obi
Recently, the Labour Party established a Directorate of Obidient Affairs, a move that sparked significant backlash.
In response, Obi distanced the movement from the party’s decision in a statement on his X page on Wednesday, asserting that the Obidient Movement is broader than any single political party and spans across party, gender, and ethnic lines.
“There may be a youth mobilization directorate in political parties, but the Obidient Movement is far beyond a particular political party.
“The Obidient Movement is a diverse and inclusive collective that transcends traditional political, religious, and ethnic affiliations.
“It is not domiciled within any particular party or headquartered in any particular part of the country,” Obi wrote.
Following the backlash, the Labour Party’s spokesman, Obiorah Ifoh, announced on Thursday that the directorate had been renamed the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration.
The statement reads: “Following the controversies arising from the creation of the Directorate of OBIDIENT Affairs, in the party, the Directorate is hereby renamed the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration.
“The inauguration will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the party’s National Secretariat, Utako, Abuja, by 10 a.m. Party members and the general public should take note.”