The Obidient Movement, a group loyal to Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has disassociated itself from the Edo State governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata.
The Edo Obidient Movement insists that its involvement with Labour Party during the 2023 general elections was strictly based on its support for the party’s presidential candidate.
The movement emerged as one of the many support groups for Obi during the last general elections, owing to his credentials and antecedents in public office. But today, the group is singing a different tune.
While addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Saturday, the group’s spokesperson Ikhuenbor Figo insisted that Labour Party has failed to impress as the alternative to the two main political parties in Nigeria.
It passed a vote of no confidence on the Edo Labour Party primary election process, alleging that the leaders – both at the national and state working committees, the local government area, and ward executives – are guilty in what it described as disgraceful and unpatriotic activities before, during and after the primary.
“We completely disassociate ourselves from the Labour Party and its candidate for the Edo 2024 governorship campaign, street rallies, and fitness walk,” he said.
The Obidient Movement also called on Obi to sanitize the leadership of the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
“While assuring his excellency Mister Peter Obi of our continuous support for him, we advise that he provides leadership in the Labour Party and do a thorough review of the party leadership and purge themselves of all contaminating symptoms ahead of the 2027 general election,” Figo said.
The group said it would unveil the political party and candidate the Obidient Movement would be backing for the Edo governorship election in the coming weeks.