Obi warns against ascribing ethnic, religious factor to ‘Obidient Movement’

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and leader of the Obedient Movement in Nigeria and in the diaspora, Mr Peter Obi, has warned against ascribing religious, ethnic and other parochial interests to the movement, saying the attempt will fail.

Obi, in a series of tweets yesterday, said there was no looking back on the movement’s goal of taking back Nigeria, noting that the time was now.

Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, said, “In the life of every nation, there is a turning point. For Nigeria, that time is now; a time to save Nigeria, save our democracy and give the Nigerian youths hope. The Obidient Movement has been the arrowhead in the take-back Nigeria mission.

“My role in the movement is that of a focal point. As I have always stressed, Nigeria remains a secular state. As such, the movement is not about my tribe or my religion, and it is not an Igbo agenda or in any way to Christianise Nigeria.

• Niger dismisses magistrate, demotes 2 Sharia court judges
• AEA urges MSMEs to adopt more technology

“My aspiration is for a new Nigeria, where the children of a nobody will become somebody. A nation anchored on national interests, and not sectional interests; where the entire youths from the six geopolitical zones will have a sense of belonging in the affairs of their country.”

Obi drew the attention of Nigerians to: “What is happening in Scotland, where a 37-year-old, Humza Yousaf, is set to become Scotland’s first minister, having won a keenly contested SNP’s leadership. Born to Pakistani parents who migrated to Scotland in the 60s, Yousaf is from the ethnic minority and a Muslim.

Obi further said, “I have always maintained that Nigerians must rise above ethnicity, religion and sectarian politics in matters of governance; and that the leadership selection process must be strictly based on character, competence, capacity and compassion. Only then shall our democracy flourish and our society progress. Contextually, the Scottish reality is instructive and presents us with some lessons learned and missed opportunities.”