ABUJA, Nigeria — Batified Obidients, a group presenting itself as former Peter Obi campaign supporters, endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the All Progressives Congress (APC) for 2027; PUNCH reported that the Labour Party and Obidient Movement disputed members’ claimed roles.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Oct. 21, the group also endorsed Vice President Kashim Shettima for a second term and named the APC as its political vehicle. It said it planned to organize, register supporters, campaign and vote for APC candidates. Premium Times reported that the group wants organizers to focus on parts of the country where Tinubu lost to opposition candidates in 2023.
Premium Times attributed remarks at the briefing to Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, whom it identified as a former director of operations for the Obidient Movement. PUNCH identified him as Batified Obidients’ national coordinator.
The group had described its origins before Wednesday’s announcement. In a statement it provided to THISDAY on Oct. 7, it linked the initiative to people who served on Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, while saying it did not speak for all Obi supporters.
The group cited Tinubu’s record as a reason for its new backing, while acknowledging economic pressures and insecurity. It argued that government measures could help support a recovery. Premium Times reported that it pointed to fuel subsidy removal and larger allocations to state and local governments. EconoTimes previously covered Tinubu’s pledge against restoring the petrol subsidy.
PUNCH reported the Labour Party’s and Obidient Movement’s objections. National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa said the Labour Party had no record of the participants as members. Obidient Movement Director of Media and Communications Onyeka Dike questioned the campaign roles they claimed and asked them to provide evidence.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recorded 8,794,726 votes for Tinubu and 6,101,533 for Obi in the 2023 presidential election. The reports did not give a membership total for Batified Obidients.
