The leadership of the Obidient Movement has firmly rejected the Labour Party (LP)’s recent establishment of an ‘Obedient Directorate.’
In a statement released late on Sunday in Abuja, the movement issued a disclaimer co-signed by Mubarak Bawa, representing the Obedient Conveners Collective, which includes 223 Peter Obi Support Group Conveners, Barr. Daniel Elomba, Co-Convener of the Peter Obi Support Network (POSN), and 37 others.
This rejection follows the announcement by LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, of the formation of a directorate aimed at overseeing party affairs to reduce tensions and restore confidence among stakeholders. The Labour Party’s repositioning strategy includes the appointment of Marcel Ngogbehei as Director, Aju Elumelu as Deputy Director (Diaspora), and Mariam Ismaila as Deputy Director.
Leaders of the Obidient Movement were angered by the Labour Party’s decision to formalize the Obedient Directorate and assimilate its members into the party’s framework without consulting Peter Obi or the movement’s key figures. They view this move as an overreach and an effort to undermine their grassroots-driven movement.
In a statement titled “We Vehemently Reject Julius Abure’s Attempt to Usurp the Obidient Movement,” leading conveners of the movement, representing 261 support groups, rejected the Labour Party’s offer. They emphasized the movement’s inception as an autonomous coalition that played a crucial role in rejuvenating the Labour Party’s political prospects.
The statement reads: “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.
“The Obidient Movement predates Peter Obi’s entry into the Labour Party and is a global force far more potent than the Labour Party, which had not seen electoral success since Olusegun Mimiko’s 2007 governorship win in Ondo.
“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.
“We categorically reject the creation of an Obidient 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 Obidient Movement, starting with His Excellency Peter Obi.”
The leaders of various support groups criticized the LP leadership’s move to establish a directorate, denouncing it as a “ludicrous scheme” and a “destructive plot.” They condemned Marcel Ngogbehei’s appointment, labeling him a discredited figure with a history of corruption, and reiterated that the Obidient Movement recognizes only Peter Obi as its leader.
