By Austin Ogwuda
All Delta State Obidient Movement Conference 2024, was held in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria on Saturday, organised by the Delta Obidient Elders’ Council and unanimously agreed that early preparations towards the 2027 elections were crucial to actualising its dream.
The Conference with the theme ‘Reawakening & Harmonizing Obidient Movement For A New Nigeria’ took place at Grand Hotels Asaba, Delta State, was well attended including Peter Obi, Prof. Pat Utomi, Delly Ajufo, Chris Iyovwaye, and Dr. Yunusa Tanko among numerous others who joined via Zoom.
In his welcome address the Protem Chairman, Delta Obidient Elders’ Council, Chris O.O. Boise a.k.a Obidient Daddy said “There has been no formal or explicit expression of appreciation to Obidient youths across political party lines that engaged in political self-mobilisation to defeat entrenched All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta state at the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.
“Our first duty as Elders therefore is to appreciate and commend all gallant Obidients in Delta State, for that wonderful feat. On behalf of the Obidient Movement, I say a big “Thank You” to Obidients nation-wide and the Diaspora for the heroic role which you individually and collectively played in your various support groups. It was wonderful and other political parties could not believe their eyes when you garnered over 10 million votes for Mr. Peter Obi within a few months of the campaign. That is why Nigerians marvel at Obidients.
“It is time to prepare to re-enact the magic of February 25, 2023, with greater intensity and finality. The electorate that supported Mr. Peter Obi are still here, disappointed, but still desirous of good governance. How do we reenlist them in the struggle for a New Nigeria?
“From its beginning, the Obidient Movement was made up of thousands of spontaneous and enthusiastic support groups that greeted the entrance of Mr. Peter Obi into the presidential race. The Movement had no leadership hierarchy or formal organisational structure. This time around, Mr. Peter Obi, has wisely appointed an interim national coordinator for the Obidient Movement in the person of the highly respected Dr. Tanko Yunusa and we encourage all Obidients to take advantage of this significant step.
“I urge all Obidient support groups to work as a team for the achievement of the objective rudely and crudely denied us in February 2023.
“Obidients”, he went on, “are not just about protest marches or online media activism. They are concerned with key issues of the National Question. Bearing in mind the ruthlessly exploitative and anti-people ethos of the Nigerian ruling class, Obidients yearn for a New Nigeria. This entails dismantling the political structure that sustains the present system of electoral, political, social and economic injustice in Nigeria.
“he first step in the building of a New Nigeria is electoral reform to enable the electorate remove incompetent and anti-people government structures. Obidients must first work out counter measures to neutralise the electoral marauders.
“Nigeria has a vibrant population of over 200 million people with access to vast uncultivated agricultural land, yet citizens are dying of hunger, unable to feed themselves and access basic standard facilities. It is therefore safe to say that Nigeria is underperforming its potentials. It is a contradiction. That is why Obidients mercilessly criticise those leaders who let the country down.
“We the Obidients, are totally detribalised. We demand genuine social democracy, not announcement of fake results. We demand educated, healthy skilled work force to produce the needs of Nigerian citizens. We demand rule of law and respect of human dignity by security agencies in Nigeria. We demand an incorruptible judiciary that dispenses justice without fear or favour, not one where the rich and powerful purchase or impose it.
“We envision a self-reliant country that produces its basic needs. Nigeria must move from consumption to production. We demand utilisation of the resources of the country for the benefit of the masses, not a fraudulent and corrupt few. Nigerian citizens deserve a prosperous and egalitarian nation-state.
“To achieve the objective of a New and Better Nigeria, Obidients must arm themselves with clear vision, workable plan of implementation, well-articulated targets, a knowledge, skills, courage, persistence and personal discipline.
No doubt, Obidients have taken upon themselves the historic duty of building a new Nigeria. One of the roles of the Elders’ Council in this historic assignment of transformation of the most populous Black Country in the world is to assist young Obidients in defining objectives and working out tactics for the realisation of a Better Nigeria as envisioned by our acclaimed leader, Mr. Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement world-wide”, Obidient Daddy added.
The Keynote Speaker, Prof. Chris Nwaokobia, stated that the Obidient Movement ignited a fire in Nigeria’s social and political space during the 2023 election, pointing out that it is now time to start networking ahead of 2027.
Said he, “We will repeat even more of what we did in the 2023 election. Just because they stole the 2023 election doesn’t mean they will steal the 2027 election.
“We will not give up on Nigeria. Be like fishers of men, go and bring more people into the Obidient Movement. A New Nigeria is possible”.
Peter Obi, who joined the conference via Zoom, highlighted the importance of early mobilisation, noting that the theme of the Conference, “Reawakening and Harmonising the Obidient Movement for a New Nigeria”, is particularly timely.
Prof. Pat Utomi, Delly Ajufo, Chris Iyovwaye, and Dr. Yunusa Tanko, among others who similarly joined via Zoom lamented the poor economic state of the country while beckoning on the Youths of this country to the take their destinies seriously to mobilise early enough.
