A group of former members of Peter Obi's 2023 Presidential Campaign Council have formed a new political organization called Batified Obidients. They announced their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). The group was formed after its members reflected on their experience during Obi's 2023 presidential campaign and assessed the country's political direction.
The Batified Obidients declared their formation at a meeting in Wuse 2, Abuja, attended by six zonal coordinators representing Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, as well as representatives from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The group described itself as a national platform consisting of former members of Obi's Presidential Campaign Council who have now chosen to support Tinubu.
According to the group, their decision to support Tinubu was based on an assessment of leadership, governance, and the demands of managing a complex country like Nigeria. They cited executive experience, political coalition-building, legislative understanding, and crisis management as essential considerations for leadership. The group also criticized the Labour Party, saying it was "not structurally or ideologically prepared" to govern Nigeria.
The Batified Obidients distinguished themselves from the wider Obidient Movement, stating that their membership was limited to individuals who previously served in Obi's Presidential Campaign Council and have now chosen to support Tinubu. The group plans to focus on mobilizing former Obi supporters, undecided voters, and other Nigerians ahead of the 2027 election.
The organization also aims to defend the policies of the Tinubu administration and explain the government's ongoing reforms to voters. Another major part of its agenda is to expand Tinubu's support beyond the votes he received during the 2023 presidential election. To achieve this, the group has announced a nationwide organizational structure to coordinate its activities.
The Batified Obidients will operate through a National Coordinator and National Secretariat, supported by regional coordinators across the six geopolitical zones. State coordinators will also be appointed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This structure will enable the group to effectively mobilize support for Tinubu's re-election bid.
Tinubu is seeking another term under the APC, while Obi is preparing to contest the presidential election under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate. The formation of the Batified Obidients and its support for Tinubu's re-election bid has added a new dimension to Nigeria's politics ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Key points
- The group cited executive experience, political coalition-building, legislative understanding, and crisis management as essential considerations for leadership.
- The Batified Obidients distinguished themselves from the wider Obidient Movement.
- The group plans to focus on mobilizing former Obi supporters, undecided voters, and other Nigerians ahead of the 2027 election.
