A group of former members of Peter Obi's 2023 Presidential Campaign Council has formed a new political platform called Batified Obidients, pledging to campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election in 2027. The group announced its formation in a statement signed on Thursday by its National Coordinator, Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, alongside six regional coordinators covering all geopolitical zones: Bala Abubakar for the North-West, Ekana Simeon Lamorde for the North-East, Daniel Gambo for the North-Central, Banwo Mayowa for the South-West, Izunna Desmond for the South-South, and Odira Alexander for the South-East.
Why the Group Left Obi
Batified Obidients said its shift was the product of months of reflection, not personal grievance. The group alleged it observed shortcomings in diversity management, talent utilisation, and internal conflict resolution during and after the 2023 campaign. It also claimed that some professionals who contributed their skills to the campaign were neither adequately recognised nor properly deployed.
Based on those experiences, the group said it assessed Obi as lacking certain leadership qualities it considered essential for governing Nigeria. It also described the Labour Party as not being structurally or ideologically ready to govern the country. The group stressed that its support for Tinubu was grounded in what it called a realistic assessment of his leadership capacity and the country's needs at this time, adding that it believed the administration's ongoing reforms would yield benefits for Nigerians if sustained.
How Batified Obidients Will Operate
Vanguard reported that the group said it intended to draw on the professional expertise its members built during the Obi campaign to mobilise former Obi supporters, undecided voters, and other Nigerians behind the Renewed Hope Agenda. It also said it would work to grow Tinubu's 2023 presidential vote tally, which stood at 8,794,726 according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with particular attention on states where Obi had previously won.
Batified Obidients said it would be structured around a National Coordinator and a secretariat comprising a Secretary, Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, and Operations Secretary. Regional coordinators for each of the six geopolitical zones and State Point Men across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would handle implementation on the ground. The group said its campaign activities would include explaining the administration's policies to the public and building grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 elections. It was careful to note that it did not claim to represent all former Obi supporters.
Political Context and Reactions
Peter Obi, who ran on the Labour Party platform in 2023, resigned from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026, and was ratified as the presidential candidate of the NDC for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026.
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu was told to resign immediately over growing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the recent school abduction in Oyo State. APM chieftain, Olufemi Ajadi, condemned the government's inaction following the incident, emphasising the need for accountability. Ajadi also called for stronger collaboration and decentralisation in security operations to combat rising violence and crime.
