The outcome of the controversial and highly flawed 2023 general election has shown that Nigerian politics will no longer be the same again and it is no longer going to be business as usual. The emergence of the Odidients, a political movement propelled by mainly Nigerian youths and others who desire a change in the way politics is played in Nigeria, is the greatest discovery or revelation of the 2023 election season. The alignment between the Obidients and the Labour Party (LP) and the love and support the Obidients gave to the LP Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, projected the LP as one of the leading parties in the country now at a third position following the result of the presidential poll and others. The Obidients, as supporters of Peter Obi would like to be called and addressed, have largely redefined the texture and colour of Nigerian politics and redrawn its map forever.
Before the advent of the formidable and audacious Obidients, whose social media presence is intimidating and combative, there was a Third Force in Nigerian politics. But the impact of the Third Force was not so much felt until the emergence of the Obidients with their fiery rhetoric, laced with street lingo and everyday speech of ordinary Nigerians. Obidients never tolerate an attack on their idol or his thoughts or ideas. There is a belief in some quarters that the Third Force is part of the Obidients movement. If it is true, it is all fine and good. Even if it is not true, the Obidients movement has come to stay and many progressive groups will soon be in their fold. The journey has just started and there is no looking back. Obidients were famous for ‘we no dey give shishi’ and other expressions that endeared them to Nigerian masses. From a party without structure, a party that regards the people as its structure, the LP or ‘Eluu Peee’ as it is called by some Nigerians, won one state, Abia and narrowly missed Enugu and some others. The party has about seven senators, 34 representatives and many in state Houses of Assembly.
The party is contesting the outcome of the presidential election in court. Their candidates are likely to contest the outcome of the governorship polls in some states and other elections. The Obidients were internet savvy and always ubiquitous on the social media without much restraint. From the so-called ‘four people tweeting in a room,’ the Obidients morphed into a formidable political force that popularized the LP and made it the latest most beautiful bride in the nation’s political landscape. The party’s popularity is going to increase in the years ahead because of its ideology anchored on frugality and reclaiming the country and having the people as its structure. The role of social media in politics and elections can no longer be dismissed.
LP believes in dismantling the corrupt old system, the structure of incompetence and transactional politics. Its mantra, to move the country from consumption to production, which means creation of more jobs, resonates well with the youths and unemployed Nigerians. Politicians who underrated the Obidients and the LP are still leaking their wounds all over the country. Prominent politicians in some states in the South East have been politically retired and their ambitions truncated by the Obidients hurricane that swept across the country on February 25. In the South East and in some other zones in the country, the fear of the Obidients is now the beginning of political wisdom. If you are in doubt, ask those whose political career was terminated by the Obidients movement.
The Obidients earthquake was even felt in Lagos where LP candidate defeated Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. The LP claimed the only Senate seat in Abuja. Their heat was felt in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau states. Politicians in Kaduna, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states now know Obidients and Peter Obi. Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State will no longer say when you mention Peter Obi, his people will think it is the name of a new detergent in town. Peter Obi is now known in Kaduna more than El-Rufai. If you are in doubt, ask the people in Kaduna.
During the campaign for the 2023 election, the LP was underrated and regarded as the underdog in the poll. Its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was not given a chance. After the February 25 poll and LP’s good outing, the narrative changed. LP and Peter Obi became the reference point in Nigerian political discourse. The former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Labaran Maku, recently said that ‘many saw the ‘Obidient’ movement and the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a joke.’
And from that joke, Peter Obi scored over six million votes, won 12 states and came third in the presidential poll. With that victory, Obi together with Obidients movement and the LP, has redefined and redrawn the political map of Nigeria. The LP is third in the National Assembly after the APC and the PDP. Nigeria has now three formidable political parties and no longer two. Any political discussion in Nigeria today cannot be complete without factoring the LP. Wherever Obi goes now, the crowd will rush to see the man who carries his hand luggage and moves about without a retinue of aides or large convoys, a hobby of most Nigerian politicians. They will rush to behold the man known for frugality, the man who will fix the country and save it from the structure of corruption, ineptitude and nepotism. Politicians are now rushing to buy nomination forms in preparation for the next cycle of governorship elections coming up in Imo, Bayelsa and some others.
Following the public outcry against the N25 million nomination fee for gubernatorial seat under LP, the leadership of the party slashed it to N15 million. This is a further demonstration that LP stands for the masses and caters for their welfare. LP should watch it. It must remain a party of the masses, the poor and millions of powerless and voiceless Nigerians. The election is over and aggrieved parties shifted the battle to the tribunals, LP must not lose focus. The most important thing is how to build and nurture the party to greatness and make it a party truly owned by Nigerians, the rich, the poor, the middle class and the masses, including students, traders, market men and women.
The LP must show leadership and due process, which are scarce in many political parties in Nigeria, especially in the PDP and the APC. The LP should embark on membership drive across the country and across professions. It must have presence in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja as well as the 774 councils. The LP and its leadership must avoid the plagues in the PDP, APC and some other political parties. Let LP avoid the monetization of politics or ‘cash and carry’ politics as well as the ‘do or die’ approach to politics common in APC and the PDP. The tragedy of Nigerian politics is the lack of leaders with personal example, which is the hallmark of good and purposeful leadership. Nigeria is not where it is supposed to be today because of poor and purposeless leadership. In everything, LP must be exemplary.
Having redrawn the nation’s political map, LP will reposition itself and be the rallying point for the masses and lead in the formulation of the much-needed new and transformed Nigeria where all, irrespective of tribe, tongue and creed, must see themselves as Nigerians and not necessarily from our ethnic or religious identities.