A group of former members of the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi have announced their decision to dump the former Anambra State governor and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The group, which described itself as comprising professionals who worked within Obi’s campaign organisation, also adopted the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its political platform for the 2027 general election.
The group, which has now taken up a new name, ‘Batified Obidients’ at a press conference in Abuja, cited concerns about Obi’s leadership capacity and their convictions that the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and policies, though painful, are necessary for taking Nigeria out of economic doldrums as reasons for their action.
The statement read at the press conference was prepared by Adesina Fagbenro-Byron who is the National Coordinator of the Batified Obidients and former Director of Operations in Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign council.
The statement was read by Fabian Ozoigbo who is Deputy National Coordinator of the Batified Movement and former Head of Logistics of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council.
Also present at the event were Razak Oladosu, a former security and logistics official in Lagos during the 2023 Labour Party campaign, Dr. Ronke Ehinderoro, LP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Kwara State, Eniola Ojajuni, youth leader of Afenifere and representatives from the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The group, in the statement read to journalists at the press conference, said decision of its members to become ‘Batified’ was not motivated by bitterness towards Obi, but by concerns about his preparedness to govern a country as complex and diverse as Nigeria.
‘Looking back with clear eyes, we have come to see that the demands of leading a country as complex and diverse as Nigeria may not be what Mr. Peter Obi was prepared for,’ the statement read.
It added: ‘This is not to say that he did not try or that his intentions were not sincere. But it became clear to those of us inside the campaign that he was, in many ways, out of his depth without fully realising it.’
The group said it had invested time, professional expertise and resources in Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign because it believed he represented an alternative to the political establishment.
‘We gave that campaign our time, our skill, and our genuine belief that Nigeria could take a new direction,’ it said.
But the Batified Obidients alleged that the management of talent, diversity and internal disagreements during the campaign raised questions about Obi’s leadership capacity.
‘We saw real weaknesses in how talent was mismanaged, how diversity was mishandled, and how internal conflicts went unresolved,’ the statement said, adding that competent people who volunteered their expertise were often left unrecognised or unprotected.
The group maintained that its endorsement of Tinubu was based on what it described as the need for continuity in economic reforms and sustainable national development already being witnessed under his administration.
‘Today, we have made our choice. Let there be no ambiguities. We are coming together again. We are former Labour Party and PDP supporters. We are now shifting our support to President Bola Tinubu and adopting All Progressives Congress, the APC, as our political vehicle for 2027,’ it declared.
Tinubu’s reforms painful, but necessary
In explaining its support for Tinubu, the group acknowledged that the major reforms of his administration, including the removal of petrol subsidy have led to rising rising cost of living, pressure on households and other challenges.
But the Batified Obidients noted that the reforms are already yielding fruits for a more productive economy.
The group noted that with the removal of subsidy under Tinubu, the practice of borrowing heavily to keep petrol artificially cheap has ended.
The group also pointed to increased allocations to states and local governments, improving debt-service indicators, strengthening foreign reserves and easing inflationary pressures as evidences that the reforms of the Tinubu’s administrations are nudging the country on the right path.
‘These are not finished victories. They are the foundations of a country that can produce more of what it needs instead of living forever on imports and artificial prices,’ the statement said.
The group further noted that the Electricity Act passed by the Tinubu’s administration, the student loan programme, expansion of local production as policies of the Tinubu’s administration as key initiatives already spurring economic growth and national development.
On security, the the Batified Obidients hailed ongoing decentralisation of policing by the police, describing it as a strategic shift towards more sustainable responses to banditry, terrorism and other forms of criminality.
‘For the innocent Nigerians who have borne the heaviest burden of bandits, terrorism, extremism, and criminality, this approach offers a more lasting path to protection and peace. It deserves to be understood and supported,’ the statement said.
The group also expressed interest in the completion of major infrastructure projects and the development of the solid minerals sector, saying it wanted to see the administration’s initiatives deliver their expected benefits.
The Batified Obidients therefore argued that abandoning the reforms in favour of the previous economic model would risk returning the country to a system that concealed structural weaknesses through subsidies and borrowing.
‘The pain today is real, but the old road was not better. It was only hiding the problem and leading us deeper into addition,’ the statement said.
orsing Tinubu, Shettima
The group therefore formally endorsed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima for second term, while praising their capacity for teamwork and intellect.
‘This endorsement naturally extends to Vice-President Shettima, who has equally demonstrated a good capacity for teamwork and intellect and who has so far largely dispelled the fears that many had about a Muslim-Muslim ticket,’ it said.
The Batified Obidients pledged to mobilise their former colleagues, undecided voters and other Nigerians who support its vision of competent and inclusive governance.
It also promised to organise campaigns, attend rallies, register supporters and vote for Tinubu and the APC in 2027, with particular attention to states where opposition candidates performed strongly in the 2023 election.
‘We may not be able to bring every obedient onto this platform. Some have since moved to ADC, and some remain with the Labour Party. We respect their choices and wish them well,’ the group said.
Nevertheless, it expressed confidence that a substantial number of former supporters could join its movement and contribute to Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The group also urged governments at all levels to strengthen social protection measures to cushion the effects of economic hardship.
It specifically called for a credible social registry across all local government areas to ensure that government interventions reach vulnerable Nigerians.
‘We call on all tiers of government to diligently facilitate the establishment of a credible social registry in all local government areas, which will make it possible to ensure that social interventions reach all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable,’ the statement said.
The group said its political realignment did not mean abandoning the desire for good governance that motivated its members to support Obi in 2023.
‘Our loyalty is to Nigeria first,’ the group said, adding that the country needed to move from a consumption-based economy to a production-driven one, strengthen decentralisation and pursue sustainable development.
‘For us, the choice is clear: APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,’ the statement concluded.