By Moses Okorie
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has denied rumours of division amongst his supporters, popularly referred to as ‘Obidient Movement’, saying such media reports are totally unfounded.
According to a press statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Ibrahim Umar, spokesman of Peter Obi, the Obidient Movement does not have any central body and so cannot be assumed to be divided.
He said, “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.
“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”.
He added that 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 suggested that while various civic groups across the nation may employ different strategies, their collective objective is a unified vision for a New Nigeria.
“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. The movement belongs to the Nigerian populace, not to a select group of politicians.
“The central mission remains unaltered along Peter Obi’s principles and approach to governance. 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.
“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 added.