2023: How Obidients Show Strength In Lagos, Osun, Edo, Delta, Others

By Oladosu Oluwagbenga 

As Nigerians celebrated 62 years of independence, supporters of Labour Party, LP presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi conducted simultaneous rallies in numerous states of the nation to rally support for Obi.

The massively attended demonstrations, which saw the supporters, known as Obi-dients, march across key major towns including Lagos, Delta, Abia, Osun, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Bauchi, among others, caused traffic jams in some of the places.

The rallies also diminished the celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in various states, particularly in Delta.

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The protests in Lagos, dubbed #4millionmaforObi/Datti, took place in Festac Town, Ikeja, Lekki, and Surulere.

“Obi, Obi-dient!” was shouted by the crowd as they marched through the Lekki-Epe expressway. To avoid conflict with the police officers stationed at the Lekki Toll Gate, they started their walk from Admiralty Junction and moved through the main Lekki road toward Jakande and Elegushi axis.

On Thursday, a Lagos High Court decided that the Obi-dients should not organize a demonstration near the toll gate and commanded the police to prevent rallies there.

The supporters proudly displayed the LP insignia on their clothing and hats while shouting songs of unity and declaring that they would deliver Obi the majority of the votes in Lagos, the political stronghold of All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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Obi’s detractors call him “structureless” and a “social media tiger.” The enthusiastic followers, who were mainly young people, claimed to be Obi’s support network and promised that they would retake their nation in 2023.

The Obi-dients also marched in Warri and Asaba, the state capital of Delta.

The One-Million-Man March, which started at the Inter-bus roundabout and traveled along Nnebisi Road, prevented Asaba from celebrating its 62nd Independence Day because the massive and intimidating crowd kept growing as the city was closed for more than seven hours.

Around 8 am, the youths left their various localities in the Delta North Local Government Area to begin the march in Asaba.

One of the Obi-dients, Mr Donatus Ebere, said: “We are having a one-million-march in solidarity with Peter Obi but what we saw today is no longer one million. You see that the crowd here is about two million. Before we chose between two evils, now, we have Peter Obi over the two evils. So, in 2023, the youths will massively vote for Obi.”

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He said that the one-million-march would become one million votes in Asaba, and urged supporters to ensure they get their PVCs so that the one-million-march will not be in vain.

Also, in certain communities in Osun State, Obi-dients and LP supporters crowded the streets to support Obi.

The demonstrations of support took place in the state capitals of Ile-Ife and Ilesa, with supporters holding placards that read, among other things, “We are the structure,” “Ile-Ife walks for Obi,” and “A New Nigeria is achievable.”

The Ile-Ife solidarity walk started in Enuwa Square and traveled through various parts of the city to the Mayfair roundabouts. From the stadium roundabout, the Osogbo rally proceeded through Ayetoro and ended at the old garage.

Addressing journalists in Ile-Ife, a Chieftain of the party, Olamide Awosunle disclosed that the party decided to embark on the rally titled, “March for New Nigeria” on a symbolic day like Independence Day.

He said Nigerians cannot continue to wallow in abject poverty, hence, the move to enlighten the populace on the need for a new set of leaders.

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His words: “If one dissects Nigeria properly, going by what we have been experiencing in the country, you will know that everything is not right with this nation, so we chose today which happened to be our Independence Day to really march prophetically for a Nigeria of our dream because we cannot continue like this. We need a new Nigeria that’s why we chose today our Independence Day as a very symbolic day for this kind of March.

“Our motive more importantly is to let people know that Nigeria needs a new set of leaders. We cannot continue with the set of people who have taken Nigeria as their personal entitlement. People that feel Nigeria is their own continue to mismanage Nigeria. Our motive is to send messages to those leaders that Nigerians are tired of them and also to let people know in their various communities that we now have a party that can deliver Nigeria from the mess we are in now.

“What we were having in the past is selection mixed with small elections. Now Nigerians have selected a leader and we rally around that leader, so it’s not the usual practice in Nigeria where someone is picked and is forced on us.

“In this case, Nigerians chose Peter Obi as their leader and they are spending their money to ensure that he becomes their leader. So, definitely, Peter Obi is not the usual leader we are used to in the country. We don’t need a Godfather as a leader, but someone with a track record of transparency.”