‘Obi Or Nothing’ Won’t Win Nigeria: Rethinking The Obidient Movement -By John Oyebanji

My perspective has changed over time, and not lightly.

Up until now, I do think VDM fans are the most delusional set of people that ever existed, little did I know that Obidients, or may I say Peter Obi’s fans (from the Southeast) are more delusional.

At one point, I was fully invested in the idea of a Peter Obi presidency. I didn’t just support from a distance; I believed in the vision and actively aligned myself with it because it represented, to me, a breath of fresh air in Nigeria’s political space. But since the 2023 elections, my optimism has steadily eroded, not only because of political realities, but because of the conduct of many who claim to represent that movement.

I’ve grown increasingly concerned, not just about the candidate, but about the culture that has grown around his support base, particularly on social media.

What should have been a movement built on ideas, inclusivity, and national transformation has, in many cases, become defined by intolerance, online bullying, and ethnocentric rhetoric. Every disagreement is met with insults, I have personally experienced hostility simply for expressing a slightly different opinion, and even more troubling, with undertones of ethnic bias because I am Yoruba. That kind of environment does not build a national coalition; it fractures it.

Beyond that, I struggle to see a clear, strategic pathway to victory. Peter Obi himself hasn’t helped matters. Elections in Nigeria are not won on enthusiasm alone, they require broad alliances, political calculation, and an understanding of the country’s complex realities. The “Obi or nothing” mindset, while emotionally appealing to some, is politically limiting, it’s not a winning strategy. No candidate, no matter how well-intentioned, wins a national election in isolation, especially against an incumbent structure with deep-rooted machinery.

Peter Obi himself, in my view, has also made some missteps. He seems not to be calculative in his political decisions
“I am not desperate to be the President…” is one statement I don’t like reading or hearing from him. His dispositions, words, and actions reek of desperation.

To be clear, this is not an endorsement of other alternatives, I am not convinced by Atiku, and I remain critical of the current administration. But at this point, I no longer hold the same confidence I once had. I have come to the difficult conclusion that Peter Obi, as things stand today, does not present a sufficiently distinct or viable path forward either.

Nigeria needs leadership that is not only credible, but also matured in political engagement, open to dissent, capable of building bridges, managing diverse interests, and winning elections in reality, not just in sentiment. Until then, many who once believed strongly will continue to watch from a distance, hoping for something better, but no longer convinced by what we currently see.

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John Oyebanji is a Public Affairs Analyst, Media/PR Specialist, and Educational Administrator, among many other things he represents. He writes from Modakeke, Osun State, and can be reached via +2349032201075, thejohnoyebanji@gmail.com