By Valentine Obienyem
Even when he was Governor, throughout the years that followed, and up till now, Mr Peter Obi has never maintained a special group of people whom he pays to defend him or sing his praises. Whenever I make this point, people hardly believe me. Perhaps this is because, in our political environment, people have become so accustomed to the idea that praise must be purchased, criticism sponsored, and every political movement sustained by a financial godfather. In fact, some even pay writers to confer posthumous sanctity on their patrons. We have lived with politics as a marketplace for so long that many find it difficult to imagine people devoting their time, energy and resources to a cause simply because they believe in it.
I have encountered highly placed individuals who called me to beg me to tell Obidients to leave them alone. One of them was particularly direct, telling me he had been reliably informed that these people were under my control and that I paid and directed them. I took time to explain that they were acting out of their own convictions, not on my instructions or for money. They had found in Obi someone who embodied their hopes for a better Nigeria. They did not need anyone to tell them when to speak, what to write or whom to challenge. Their motivation came from their own experiences of Nigeria and their determination not to remain silent about its problems.
The greatest misconception about Obi’s supporters is that a movement of such energy and persistence must have a hidden command centre, backed by money. Yet thousands of Nigerians, at home and abroad, can independently arrive at the same political conclusions without being paid or controlled. What looks like coordination is often the natural outcome of shared convictions. These people do not necessarily agree on everything, nor do they all operate in the same way. What unites them is the belief that Nigeria needs a different kind of leadership.
Obi’s supporters are largely organic and spontaneous. They come from different professions, generations, social classes and geographical locations. They include lawyers, doctors, academics, businesspeople, artisans, civil servants, students, traders and Nigerians in the diaspora. Many are ordinary citizens who understand firsthand the consequences of poor governance. They are frustrated by a system that makes life unnecessarily difficult and are searching for a country where leadership means service, public resources are managed responsibly, and citizens have a fair opportunity to prosper. They see Obi as housing the spirit needed to change things in Nigeria.
This is why, for many Obidients, supporting Obi is not a job but a cause. They invest their time in writing, analysing policies, challenging narratives they consider misleading such as those that come from the Soludo’s and Umahi’s, correcting misinformation and encouraging civic participation. Some are highly visible, while others work quietly within their communities and social networks. People such as Mama P, Idris Zekeri Jnr., Peter Randy Akah and Dr Money Kingland, among others, stand out for their sustained public advocacy. I doff my cap for you. Their contributions illustrate how individual conviction can sustain a political movement without requiring everyone to operate under a central authority.
Why, then, is Obi so loved? What combination of forces and circumstances enabled him to remain the darling of Nigerians for so many years? Piety, intellect and past performance? Obi’s past was not enough; probably, bad governance is decisive. President Bola Tinubu has not done well at all. Today, all politicians, including Tinubu, are campaigning, promising heaven and threatening hell. But Nigerians have had enough of promises. They want a leader whose character and record offer a credible alternative to the politics of extravagant promises and disappointing performance. The truth is that Obi’s character differs from those of many other politicians as the virtues of war differ from those of peace. His supporters see in him a man whose political conduct is shaped by restraint, prudence and a sense of responsibility.
Indeed, behind Obi burns a mind sharp, devoted and intense, and a firm, indomitable will, perhaps the will to power. He suffers from a surplus of energy in body and mind; it was nothing for him to tour five states in a day when those with the means to do so stop at the airport. Whenever he talks, one can see the fertility of his ideas and the depth of his insight. His genius for prudent policy and assiduous attention to detail is so outstanding a factor in his success that those who did not know him thought him an economist, but he is, perhaps, an economist by practice, to borrow the words of Umahi. We find in him the old Spartan qualities of perseverance and discipline. As Governor, he guarded the treasury against all political raids. This is precisely what his supporters want him to do as President, a prospect that, unfortunately, gives the raiders goose pimples.
To many Nigerians, he represents the possibility of leadership defined by character, compassion, integrity, prudence and accountability. All Nigerians admit his virtues, especially his reputation for integrity, though they may differ on the extent of his achievements or the suitability of his policies. His emphasis on education, healthcare, poverty reduction and the prudent management of public resources resonates with people tired of a political culture that often places the interests of the powerful above those of ordinary citizens. They see in him the possibility of a country where government works and public office is treated as a responsibility rather than an avenue for personal enrichment. As I have written elsewhere, Nigerians would not so often need to depend financially on relatives abroad if we had a working nation. For many, Obi represents the hope that Nigeria can become such a country.
The intensity of this support must also be understood against the realities of everyday life. Nigerians have watched their purchasing power decline, their businesses struggle and their children face an uncertain future. They confront rising food prices, expensive transportation, inadequate healthcare, unreliable electricity and limited employment opportunities. For them, politics is not merely a contest between personalities; it determines the conditions under which they live and the opportunities available to their children. When a political figure speaks to these frustrations, the resulting support can be powerful because it is connected to lived experience, not simply campaign promises.
Of course, it would be unrealistic to suggest that everyone who identifies with Obi is entirely free of personal interests, or that every action taken in his name is beyond criticism. Every political movement attracts people with different motives, including those who expect recognition, appointments or other benefits. Some may eventually become disillusioned when their expectations are not met. The political journeys of Kenneth Onuku Okonkwo, David Bwala, Bayo Ononuga, Reno Omokri and Femi Fani Kayode remind us that political association can be influenced by differing expectations.
The distinction, therefore, is not between a movement in which everyone is a saint and one in which everyone is a hireling. It is between a political movement sustained substantially by genuine conviction and one whose existence depends primarily on financial inducement. A paid advocate may withdraw when the money stops, but someone motivated by a deeply held belief is more likely to remain engaged even when there is no immediate reward. Such a person may disagree with Obi, criticise his decisions or question his policies without abandoning the broader aspiration for a better Nigeria.
Consequently, Obidient movement cannot be understood merely as a political organisation built around one candidate. It is also a gathering of citizens united by a shared aspiration. Its members initiate conversations, interpret events, challenge opposing arguments and mobilise others according to their own judgement. This decentralised character makes the movement difficult to extinguish. Individual supporters may leave, prominent voices may change their positions, and political circumstances may shift, but the underlying movement can persist as long as the grievances and aspirations that sustain it remain unresolved.
Those who disagree with Obi are entitled to question his record, challenge his policies and oppose his candidacy. His supporters, in turn, must remain open to scrutiny and defend their arguments with evidence. No politician should be placed beyond criticism, and genuine conviction must never become an excuse for abandoning independent thought. But it is equally wrong to dismiss every person who defends Obi as a paid agent. Such an assumption denies ordinary Nigerians the capacity to think independently, organise around shared interests and participate in public life out of conscience. We must also beware of quack writers who, like Soludo and Umahi, appear willing to bend history to suit their purposes. Political disagreement is legitimate; the deliberate distortion of history is not.
Ultimately, the more important question is not how much Obi pays his supporters, but why so many people are willing to spend their own time, energy and resources advocating for him. For many, the answer lies in their desire for a Nigeria where public service matters, public resources benefit the public, and citizens can live with dignity without depending on political connections or relatives abroad. Whether Obi can fully meet these expectations must be judged by his policies, actions and performance. But the convictions that inspire his supporters deserve to be understood rather than casually dismissed. Some things are done for money; others are done because people believe something worth fighting for is at stake. For many Obidients, that something is the future of Nigeria and the country they hope to bequeath to their children.
