National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, has said the political strength of former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, remains solid.
He described Obi as one of the most heavily attacked politicians in Nigeria because of the reformist ideas he represents.
“When you look at the narrative of individuals being attacked, Peter Obi is one of the most highly attacked individuals in Nigerian politics as of today. And not because he is Peter Obi, no. It’s because what he’s bringing to the table is changing the narrative from an old order to a new order,” Tanko said.
He cited examples of misinformation targeted at the former governor, including what he described as the controversial “250 million saga” and viral videos misinterpreted by critics.
Defending Obi’s gesture in one of such videos, Tanko recalled, “If you watch the video, you see me right behind him. He was serving and I was wondering, what are you doing? He said, you don’t understand. What we are doing today is that we are reversing the case in our society. Let’s take care of the poor. Let’s serve the poor.”
Tanko also addressed Obi’s political affiliations, clarifying that while the Labour Party remains his base, he is part of a broader ADC alliance ahead of 2027.
“Peter Obi is a member of the Labour Party. He has made it categorically clear. But he is a part of the ADC alliance for 2027. Clearly, he doesn’t own two political party cards,” he explained.
On the leaked audio tape controversy, which surfaced in 2023 allegedly capturing Obi telling Bishop David Oyedepo that the presidential election was a “religious war,” Tanko dismissed it as unauthenticated, attributing it to manipulation in an era of artificial intelligence. He insisted Obi’s integrity sets him apart.
“He’s an integrity-driven individual, which is what we do not see over the years in our country. He said he will leave office on the 27th or 28th, a day before the handover,” Tanko said.
He further argued that Obi’s enduring appeal lies in his ability to mobilise Nigerians across divides.
“The strongest tool that Peter Obi has is the Nigerian people. He’s the only candidate as of today that can give you a block vote of Nigerians without shaking. He remains to be challenged,” Tanko declared.
