NewStats: 3,259,754 , 8,170,813 topics. Date: Sunday, 25 May 2025 at 10:00 PM r1u

Peter Obi’s ‘Obidient’ movement shakes up Nigerian presidential race

The 61-year-old former governor emerges as first credible third-party candidate since return to democracy in 1999.

Only a few months ago, the contest for Nigeria’s presidency in February’s elections was billed as a straightforward battle between two wealthy septuagenarian veterans who had been on the political scene for more than three decades.

But former state governor Peter Obi, a comparatively youthful 61, has shaken up the race to replace outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari. With his promises of frugality and ability, he has attracted the of a youthful, “Obidient” movement tired of a profligate elite.

It would be a major upset if a candidate from a small party won, given the strength of Nigeria’s established political parties and their deep pockets. But Obi has excited parts of a disillusioned electorate, topping three recent polls, leading by eight points in a poll by NOI, a leading local pollster.

“People like his frugal attitude and his message about cutting the cost of governance,” said Idayat Hassan, director of the Centre for Democracy and Development think-tank.

“But beyond that, young people are using him as a vehicle to channel their frustration with the Nigerian system. He’s not running just for himself, if you check online sentiment, you’ll see he’s running on behalf of young people,” Hassan said. Two political parties dominate Nigerian politics and Obi is the first credible “third-force” candidate since the return to democracy in 1999.

Obi faces Bola Tinubu, the 70-year-old former governor of Lagos and candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress, and Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition People’s Democratic party, a former vice-president and serial presidential hopeful. Obi ran as the vice-presidential candidate for the PDP in 2019.

His campaign for the little-known Labour party has gained momentum partly because of frustration with these two familiar — and elderly — faces. At 70 and 75, Tinubu and Atiku are hoping to preside over a nation that has a median age of 18. Tinubu’s campaign surrogates have spent much of the early campaign batting away questions about his health.

“Voting for [Obi] doesn’t mean Nigeria is going to be better immediately. He can’t fix everything but with him there’s a headway,” said Susan Abies, a driver in the southern city of Benin.

Obi’s among young urban voters is also a reaction to Buhari’s second term in office that has brought 33 per cent unemployment, nationwide protests against police brutality and a ban on Twitter that curtailed speech among a social media-savvy generation, said Adewunmi Emoruwa, lead strategist at Gatefield, a public affairs consultancy,

“Young people realised they were not top of the priority list of the old- guard politicians and started looking for a new figure to represent them. Young people are backing him because they believe he is the most credible candidate,” Emoruwa said.

The vocal for Obi traces its roots to the #ENDSARS protests of October 2020 when young Nigerians flocked to the streets to denounce a police unit notorious for extortion, brutality and extrajudicial killings. Obi voiced his on Twitter and used the movement to call for better governance in Nigeria. The police unit was disbanded and the movement was eventually quelled by the heavy-handed response of Nigeria’s military.

The CDD’s Hassan added that the two main parties’ choice of candidates had also upset Nigeria’s “informal” zoning agreement in a way that could benefit Obi, a devout Catholic. While power in Nigeria normally alternates between north and south and Muslim and Christian, the PDP chose Atiku, a northern Muslim, as its candidate to follow Buhari, another Muslim northerner. The ruling APC has a ticket of Tinubu, a Muslim southerner, and Kashim Shettima, a northern Muslim, as his running mate. Religious groups have decried the perceived marginalisation of Christians. “Obi is not just the candidate of the young people, he could eventually be a candidate of the church,” said Hassan.

For all the enthusiasm surrounding Obi’s candidacy, his path to Aso Villa, Nigeria’s presidential residence, is littered with obstacles.

No presidential candidate outside the main two parties has garnered more than 7.5 per cent of the vote since 1999. Candidates need to win at least 25 per cent of the vote in at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states plus Abuja, the capital, to be declared the winner.

The leading candidates have the advantage of a nationwide party machinery backed by governors and of parliament that Obi’s party, with only one senator and no governor, lacks.

Obi has said he is undeterred. “The 100mn Nigerians that live in poverty [and] the 35mn Nigerians who don’t know where their next meal will come from will be the [party] structure.”

Nigeria’s devastating floods, which have destroyed farmland across many states, add to the country’s economic problems, he said. “At a time when our country contends with rising food insecurity . . . the ravaging floods will have deleterious consequences on food production,” Obi tweeted on Tuesday.

The wealthy businessman, with interests in everything from banking to a brewery, has promised to encourage local production and remove Nigeria’s costly petrol subsidies. But his critics say he has yet to provide a clear plan for tackling problems such as insecurity, oil sabotage, low revenues and inflation of more than 20 per cent.

Last year, the Pandora Papers investigation, a release of leaked files on wealth held offshore, revealed he owned business entities ed in tax havens and had failed to declare them to Nigeria’s asset registry for politicians. He said he did not know he had to declare assets tly owned with his wife and children and that he had not broken any laws.

Critics have said Obi’s candidacy could split the opposition vote and hand victory to the ruling party.

Obinna Kanu, a 25-year-old first-time voter, shares those concerns: “The best-case scenario is that Obi wins but my personal goal is to shift the needle in Nigeria.

“The current powers that be have to be aware that the youth can bring a third relevant party,” he added. “Even if Obi doesn’t win but gains 10-15 per cent of the vote, we can show the older generation that has sucked this country dry that this is just the beginning and the two-party system is coming to its end.”

https://www.ft.com/content/92800e67-66a2-4eca-b5e5-009bf000c87a

The unbelievable is here to hit them.

Yahoo confirmed Obi is winning

CNN confirmed that Obi chances are bright

BBC confirmed that Obi is the candidate to beat

Boomerang confirmed that Obi is the leading candidate in 2023 election

Financial time has confirmed that Obi is the next president of Nigeria.

One riff-raff, lowlife urchinson will come here and start crying Obi cannot win.

One thing i like about obidients is that they don't get tired endorsing PO

Alhamdulillah

Obi is unstoppable. Obi will upset a lot of things.

I decided to put up this writing not to cause religious chaos but to onish a situation that need caution before it spiral out of control. For any good Muslim, just as he frown at insult on Islam, he avoids scenario where he will insult another religion. This is the justice Allah teaches.

Mallam El Rufai had previously insulted Jesus and insulted Christians and now these. These insults beckon on the fact that Christians are peaceful and do not go about attacking anyone in the name of insults. But let them be reminded that Christians have feelings and for all these insults to come from a notable names is just so unfortunate.

Below are some of these insults

1) He hired fake people to represent the Christian clergy and even gave them the bible.

2) He publicly insulted us by saying we inherited speaking in tongues from the bible. If read in between lines you will understand the insult. We do not inherit what God commands.

3) This one is just so painful especially to we Catholics. That a rat can eat a poison holy communion. You mean poison to the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ? What a SHAME?

Tinubu should go on with his contest and stop these attacks. We Christians are peaceful but there is a red line in every insults. Our brothers in the Muslim faith should help us understand that while we good Christians condemn attack on Islam, we will not be glad to see anyone throw insults at us.

Enough said. I pray God our savior to forgive him.

God will hear our prayers.

We go choke everywhere.


Obi is a goal

Thugs and criminals must not be allowed to enter Aso rock

This is the real video of Peter Obi talking about china pulling 439m people out of poverty.
Nairaland s doctored this video and quickly moved it to front page.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMangkVCVYg

May God punish me if my family and I did not vote Peter obi , God forbid me if I don't use my money and time to campaign for him

Period007:
If I hear say this good piece make front page

It should.

Obi is coming, can u smell the odour?

The world is getting ready and adjusting to a President Obi istration. It's only people who are relying on Bandit votes that are still discussing a non existent Tinubu candidacy. People that spend their day pulling imaginary figures out of their wazoo.

ShowYourCertificate:
It should.

Just change the topic to"Obi caught lying again " and watch the s move it to front page without reading the contents even

yea, very true, it blows like a wind, and it touches even those who didn't expect it. the fact is-Obi is in rare-form as now is concerned

Urchins and Agbado Ewa hoodlums & Agberos will have nightmares because of this news

Peter Obi campaign for the little-known Labour party has gained momentum partly because of frustration with these two familiar and elderly faces.

At 70 and 75, Tinubu and Atiku are hoping to preside over a nation that has a median age of 18. Tinubu’s campaign surrogates have spent much of the early campaign batting away questions about his health.

Have you seen or heard any reputable foreign or international organisation publish same of the druggie Kingpin and bullion vans criminal? The reasons are obvious- Bola Tinubu is not being seen with the eyes of zombiesm as some do in this part of the world.

Even the Chicago State University where he graduated with so called first class have never called on Tinubu to give a honorary lecture or given a chair to ister. Peter Obi has been invited by CNN, BBC, Harvard, Oxford. You gat it? Even the UNGA would be itching to have him as president from Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Tinubu failed to attend conference of ants in his home country. Running away for media scrutiny while his urchins are condemned to the impossible and futile task of defending his unpardonable gaffes. It is never easy to defend Tinubu

And this news is not on front page yet .. but if it has to do with Tinubu, it woulda hit the front page

MansoryMX:
Urchins and Agbado slaves will have nightmares because of this news....

And the neck pressing continues.

Warning!!! To avoid another state Burial at Aso Rock villa, vote a healthy and visionary Peter Obi.

An upset will be made in Nigeria politics with Obi's win next year!

Just picture the scenario of wild jubilation that will be across the length and breadth of Nigeria when the INEC chairman will declare him the outright winner.

Only cowards and politically naive still live in denial that Peter Obi is the only viable candidate in next year's elections.

Peter Obi, a comparatively youthful 61, has shaken up the race to replace outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari. With his promises of frugality and ability, he has attracted the of a youthful, “Obidient” movement tired of a profligate elite.

It would be a major upset if a candidate from a small party won, given the strength of Nigeria’s established political parties and their deep pockets. But Obi has excited parts of a disillusioned electorate, topping three recent polls, leading by eight points in a poll by NOI, a leading local pollster

Peter Obi will win Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, and that's all, if you are a Yoruba man and you vote for an Igbo man in 2023, Ogun kee you.

By the time Peter Obi loses in 2023, these bastards will resume calling Nigeria zoo, iku pa yin.

At this juncture that Peter Obi is contesting for Presidency, Nnamdi Kanu means nothing to these animals, kaa daa fun yin.

Obi we know!

Tajbol4splend:
Peter Obi will win Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, and that's all, if you are a Yoruba man and you vote for an Igbo man in 2023, Ogun kee you.

By the time Peter Obi loses in 2023, these bastards will resume calling Nigeria zoo, iku pa yin.

At this juncture that Peter Obi is contesting for Presidency, Nnamdi Kanu means nothing to these animals, kaa daa fun yin.

You're not civilised

You're irresponsible for making such shameful statement

NaijaRoyalty:

You're not civilised

You're irresponsible for making such shameful statement

What do you mean I'm not civilised? How would it be if I was civilised, I've grown lots of hate for anything Igbo over the years, that is the truth and there's nothing to be ashamed of, and it doesn't have anything to do with being responsible or not, I hate them with ion and God knows that, I didn't just hate them for no reason, they earned it, I've happened to understand the reason the North hates you, so you can fuvvck off.

Tajbol4splend:



What do you mean I'm not civilised? How would it be if I was civilised, I've grown lots of hate for anything Igbo over the years, that is the truth and there's nothing to be ashamed of, and it doesn't have anything to do with being responsible or not, I hate them with ion and God knows that, I didn't just hate them for no reason, they earned it, I've happened to understand the reason the North hates you, so you can Bleep off.

Obi is your next President wether you like it or not

Tenses:
Yahoo confirmed Obi is winning

CNN confirmed that Obi chances are bright

BBC confirmed that Obi is the candidate to beat

Boomerang confirmed that Obi is the leading candidate in 2023 election

Financial time has confirmed that Obi is the next president of Nigeria.

One riff-raff, lowlife urchinson will come here and start crying Obi cannot win.

All of them confirmed that President Buhari was going to lose in 2019?

How far?

I doubt if Peter Obi will even win the South East, what a waste of suffrage for anyone who votes for him like his brother Nnamani warned his ndigbo brethren.

NaijaRoyalty:

Obi is your next President wether you like it or not

He's Biafra President, an Igbo man can only be President in Biafra

Good to hear

MansoryMX:
Urchins and Agbado slaves will have nightmares because of this news

Very funny coming from Shaq attack, this is how small news excites children like yourself.

Only you political toddlers are unaware that Peter Obi is wasting his time, he is working Bola Tinubu.

A former Governor of a state for 8 years, that doesn’t reside in the state, what kind of mercenary is that?

From APGA he ran to PDP, now he has bailed to the Labor Parry?