Ahead of the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024, a faction of the Obidient Movement has pledged its support for Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress candidate.
This support comes from a group of members based in the Edo South Senatorial District, who on Monday publicly endorsed Okpebholo due to his close connections with the local populace and his reputation for good governance.
The Obidient Movement initially gained prominence during the 2023 presidential election as a youth-led campaign effort to support Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. The movement was instrumental in organizing and promoting Obi’s campaign, focusing on issues of governance, fairness, and accountability.
After the presidential election, the Labour Party under Julius Abure’s leadership established the Obidient Directorate to continue engaging with the movement’s supporters. However, Peter Obi later rejected this naming, clarifying that the Obidient Movement was not a political party and should not be associated as a directorate of any party.
During a meeting with Okpebholo, the Coordinator General of the Obidient Movement for Okpebholo, Ikhuenbor Igbinevbo, characterized the members as advocates for good governance and fairness. He explained, “We supported Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election because we felt it was the turn of the Igbo. Right now in Edo, it is the turn of Esan and we need the most qualified to work for everybody, and not a stranger.”
In response to the group’s endorsement, Senator Okpebholo expressed his gratitude and commitment to exceeding the achievements of the current Governor, Godwin Obaseki. He promised, “If they have done well, I would not have contested. I urged you to punish them with your votes because if you leave it for them, our unborn children will suffer.”
The support for Okpebholo has sparked controversy within the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party. The party’s Publicity Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Sam Uruopa, condemned the endorsement, calling it absurd for members of the Obidient Movement to support candidates from other parties. Uruopa argued, “It is absurd to hear that the Obidient Movement is supporting Okpebholo just the way some also said they were Obidient Movement for Asue Ighodalo. The Obidient Movement is synonymous with the Labour Party and integral members of the party.”
He criticized the faction for forgetting past grievances, such as the denial of the use of the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium to the Labour Party before the presidential election. Uruopa continued, “For me, they have run out of ideas and do not know what they are doing at this point in time. They cannot be Obidient Movement and work against the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata.”
This development highlights a rift within the broader Obidient Movement and raises questions about the movement’s alignment with political parties and their candidates.
