A group of former members of Peter Obi's 2023 Presidential Campaign Council has formed a new political group called Batified Obidients. The group announced its formation on Wednesday, stating that they have moved from supporting Obi to backing President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress. According to the group, their decision was based on differences in leadership capacity, governance experience, and political organisation between Tinubu and Obi.
The Batified Obidients, led by National Coordinator Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, plan to mobilise former Obi supporters, undecided voters, and other Nigerians in support of Tinubu's Renewed Hope agenda. The group criticised the Labour Party, saying it was "not structurally or ideologically prepared" to govern Nigeria. They also alleged weaknesses in talent management, diversity management, and internal conflict resolution within Obi's 2023 campaign.
The group claimed that some professionals who contributed to Obi's campaign were not adequately recognised or deployed, raising questions about the ability to sustain an effective political organisation beyond an election. The Batified Obidients stated that Nigeria requires a leader capable of managing its diversity, building coalitions, retaining competent professionals, and handling crises while pursuing reforms.
In their assessment, the group placed Tinubu ahead of Obi in areas including executive experience, coalition-building, legislative capacity, crisis management, reform orientation, and national spread. However, they stressed that their decision should not be interpreted as a claim to represent the wider Obidient movement, stating that they are "Batified Obidients — former Obidients who have crossed over to BAT and the Renewed Hope agenda."
The Batified Obidients set a numerical target to help increase Tinubu's 2023 vote total of more than eight million. They plan to focus particularly on former Obi supporters and target states where Obi performed strongly in the 2023 presidential election. The group has established a nationwide structure comprising a national coordinator and secretariat, regional coordinators across the six geopolitical zones, and state representatives in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The emergence of the group adds to recent efforts by former Obi supporters and campaign officials to align with Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election. Other former Obi campaign figures have also publicly announced support for the President in recent months. The Batified Obidients expressed confidence in Tinubu's capability, experience, and commitment to Nigeria.
The group's immediate political objective is to secure Tinubu's re-election and work towards a successful second term. They believe that their experience within Obi's campaign can be used to serve Nigeria better. The Batified Obidients do not claim to speak for all Obidients, as they deliberately distance themselves from the "Obidient Movement," a proprietary political identity tied to Peter Obi and the Labour Party.
Key points
- The group will focus on mobilising former Obi supporters and targeting states where Obi performed strongly in the 2023 presidential election.
- The Batified Obidients have established a nationwide structure to support Tinubu's re-election.
- The group's decision to support Tinubu was based on differences in leadership capacity, governance experience, and political organisation between Tinubu and Obi.
