The Obidient Movement And How People Bought Peter Obi’s Idea
The Democratic Nigerian state had witnessed a drastic downfall of its administration. The predominant political party (APC) which prevailed for 8 years had because of its maladministration deprived the masses of equal participation in politics, presented a high rate of unemployment, poor infrastructural facilities, decrease in economic growth and development.
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The present condition of the Nigerian state at this point became a mess to democracy. Thus, the masses needed a change of government which gave rise to the obedient movement.
The Obidient Movement has been gaining traction for approximately eight months now, ever since Peter Obi made the decision to leave the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) just a few days before the party’s primaries, to join the Labor Party.
The netizens, who were staunch supporters of Obi, having witnessed the track record of his achievements as the former governor of Anambra state, began to show their unwavering support for him both before and after he joined the Labor Party.
“The country has not seen anything near the Obidient Movement since 1999 when the democratic rule was restored”, Chijioke Edeoga, the Labour party candidate for Enugu gubernatorial election told journalists in Enugu during a pressing interview.
“It has broken sectional and ethnic as well as age and other demographic barriers in Nigeria”. Edeoga continued.
When the news about Obi’s withdrawal from the PDP spurted in social media, youths clamored that he should be made the candidate of the “Youth Party” despite the non-existence of the party. That no less proves how eagerly people needed an accountable government. However, many of these Obidients are those who participated in the anti-police brutality protest that started in October 2020 after the unjust deaths of unarmed citizens.
As regards Obi’s promises for reforms in the Nigeria Police system which stem from equipping all Nigerian forces with advanced resources and weapons, and increasing allowances and salaries which in no small way will augment the national security, Nigerians gave Obi their full-blown support.
It’s no longer foreign that politics in Nigeria revolves around men with “money” who are undoubtedly not accountable to the people. Thus, having absorbed Obi’s ideas which involve his frugality, transparency, and accountability, almost all of the population gave him their support.
To further solidify the relevance of the movement and Obi’s seamless ideas, Nigerians began rallying in various states across the country, mobilizing hordes of supporters for Obi, and educating the senior citizens on what the movement is all about.
The obedient movement holds great promise for a government that is free from corruption, insecurity, and poor living conditions. Its mission includes improving the standard of living for the masses and implementing crucial reforms in areas such as the education and security sectors.
As a result, the movement has set the stage for a sudden and transformative revolution in Nigerian politics. Thanks to Obi’s impressive political record and the LP’s manifesto, the movement gained widespread popularity and acceptance. The LP presidential candidate pledged to end banditry and insurgency if elected as president.
The manifesto reads, “Restructure the polity through effective legal and institutional reforms to entrench the rule of law, aggressively fight corruption, reduce the cost of governance, and establish an honest and efficient civil service.
“Leapfrog Nigeria into the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) through the application of scientific and technological innovations to create a digital economy.
“Build expansive and world-class infrastructure for efficient powers supply, rail, road and air transportation, and pipeline network, through integrated public-private partnerships, and entrepreneurial public sector governance.
“Enhance the human capital of Nigerian youths for productivity and global competitiveness through investment in world-class scholarship and research, quality healthcare, and entrepreneurship education.
“Conduct an afro-centric diplomacy that protects the rights of Nigerian citizens abroad and advances the economic interests of Nigerians and Nigerian businesses in the changing world.”
The movement was generally accepted by the masses and championed by the youths. Thus, evidence of its general acceptance could be seen in the popular participation during the political campaign of the convener of the movement, and interviews of the masses. The general participation in the processes of the election.
The manifesto was generally accepted by the masses. People bought his idea, he gained more influence and drew followers to himself thus, the eve of the revolution. The people who believed in his idea were referred to as the Obidients or invariably called Obis’
Further evidence of legitimacy among the Obis’ could be seen in voluntary donations for campaigns and other pre-election processes. What also solidly proves the people’s positive reaction as regards the Obidient movement and the ideas of Peter Obi is the surfeit amount of people that flat-out registered for their PVC both online and at the INEC offices. So, according to INEC about 96. 3 million people registered for their PVC, an obvious watershed in the political history of Nigeria. Undoubtedly, these people that struggled to obtain their PVC are mainly Nigerian youth, who all but want a better future for themselves.
Thus, the nature of the “Obidient” movement garnered significant international support, which was a crucial factor in shaping Nigerian political affairs. Nigerian citizens in the diaspora also actively participated in this movement, which created tension and opposition among political parties.
The “Obidient” movement transcended cultural and religious views and gained popularity beyond just the Eastern region, which is predominantly Christian. It drew attention from the West, North, and South, challenging the traditional notion of presidential aspirants in previous times. At its peak, the movement gained immense popularity, and many citizens believed that it was either the labor party or nothing at all.
In 2023, the presidential election in Nigeria witnessed a remarkable display of popular participation. The electorate demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the democratic process by turning out in large numbers to cast their votes.
Notably, the country’s youth population played an active role in ensuring that the election was free and fair by monitoring the vote-counting process. It was apparent that this fervor was driven by a desire to see the “obedient movement” take charge of the political administration of Nigeria.
Although the outcome of the election didn’t soothe the expectations of the populace that cultivated efforts to see to fruition the New Nigeria they hoped for, the netizens strongly believe that the election processes were brimmed with irregularities and that the Obidients will regain their mandate soon.
The hopes of all Obidients were further given strength by Obi’s comment through his social media channel, promising to put endless effort into reclaiming the stolen mandate.
Conclusion on The Obidient Movement And How People Bought Peter Obi’s Idea
The Obidient movement is a clear example of a revolution which has happened several times in history. Series of unacceptable events birth a revolution and undoubtedly, Nigerians more especially the youths have endured enough and are downright out to see the activation of the changed government they yearn for.
Obi’s ideas or manifesto is far different from what Nigerians have heard before which gave them more reason to vie for a change of government only people like Peter Obi will institute.
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