The internal discord within the Labour Party (LP) shows no sign of resolution, as the Obidient Movement, supporters of Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, vehemently reject the party’s recent establishment of an “Obedient Directorate.”
In a strongly-worded statement released late Sunday in Abuja, representatives of the Obidient Movement disavowed the Labour Party’s decision. The statement was signed by Mubarak Bawa of the Obidient Conveners Collective, encompassing 223 Peter Obi Support Group Conveners, Barr. Daniel Elomba, Co-Convener of the Peter Obi Support Network (POSN), and 37 other leaders.
“Ngogbehei’s attempts to portray himself as ‘The Obidient Leader’ is laughable. The Obidient Movement recognizes no leader other than Peter Obi. Ngogbehei, a drifter with a tainted past, is not, and will never be, a figure of influence within our ranks,” the statement declared.
In an attempt to quell rising tensions and restore confidence among party members, LP’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, had announced the formation of the Obedient Directorate to coordinate party affairs. Marcel Ngogbehei was appointed as Director, Aju Elumelu as Deputy Director (Diaspora), and Mariam Ismaila as Deputy Director.
However, this move to formalize the directorate without consulting Peter Obi or core movement leaders infuriated the Obidient Movement. The leaders saw it as an overreach and an attempt to hijack the grassroots-driven force of the movement.
In their statement titled, “We Vehemently Reject Julius Abure’s Attempt to Usurp the Obidient Movement,” the conveners, representing 261 support groups, firmly rejected the Labour Party’s decision. They emphasized the movement’s origins as an independent body that significantly revived the party’s political standing.
“We, the leading 261 conveners of the Obidient Movement support groups, are compelled to issue this statement, rejecting Julius Abure’s brazen attempt to co-opt the Obidient Movement by creating an ‘Obedient Directorate’ within the Labour Party,” they asserted.
The statement underscored the movement’s significant role, predating Peter Obi’s association with the Labour Party, and criticized the party’s inability to secure their electoral victory. “The Labour Party had one job in the 2023 elections: to protect the votes and secure the victory achieved by the Obidients. On this simple task, Julius Abure and his party failed spectacularly – failing Peter Obi, failing the millions of Obidients worldwide, and failing Nigeria’s future generations.”
The leaders described the LP’s initiative as a “ludicrous scheme” and a “destructive plot,” alleging it to be an effort orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the Obidient Movement and Peter Obi’s popularity.
“This ludicrous scheme, no doubt concocted within the corridors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) – whose president and cronies are desperate to undermine Peter Obi’s popularity and the unstoppable force of the Obidients Movement – is doomed to fail,” the statement read.
The Obidient Movement’s leaders criticized Ngogbehei’s appointment, calling him a discredited figure with a history of corruption. They reiterated their loyalty to Peter Obi as the sole leader of their movement and called for genuine dialogue with the true stakeholders.
“We categorically reject the creation of an Obidients Directorate within the Labour Party. We explicitly reject the appointment of a charlatan, like Marcel Ngogbehei, to any position of authority within the movement. We call on Julius Abure to halt this destructive plot and engage in sincere dialogue with the true stakeholders of the Obidients Movement, starting with His Excellency, Peter Obi.”
As of the time of reporting, the Labour Party has not issued an official response.
