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The candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has recalled how he supported Nigerian youths during the #EndSARS protest against bad governance and police brutality.
The governorship candidate recollected the struggle hours after the presidential candidate of his party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, detached his followers known as Obidients from the Labour Party.
On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Obi in a series of tweets declared that his followers are not a directorate of any party.
The former Governor of Anambra said this in reaction to a statement by the Labour Party announcing directors to coordinate the registration of the Obidients.
Countering the development, Obi dissociated his followers from the party and its ‘non-existent directorate’, saying the Obidient movement is beyond any political party.
“I like to categorically state that the Obidient Movement is not the directorate of any particular political party. Any individual or individuals claiming to be leaders of this non-existent directorate are simply not members of the broader Obidient Movement,” he said.
“There may be a youth mobilization directorate in political parties, but the Obidient movement is far beyond a particular political party. The Obidient Movement is a diverse and inclusive collective that transcends traditional political, religious, and ethnic affiliations.”
He continued, “It is not domiciled within any particular party or headquartered in any particular part of the country. Its membership spans across Africa and the globe, comprising individuals from various backgrounds, including rural communities, and public, private, and corporate entities, united by a shared vision for a New and better Nigeria.”
However, 12 hours after Obi’s tweets, Akpata, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Edo State, made a move to endear himself to the youths.
The candidate who is believed to be leveraging the support of the Obidient for his campaign posted a video of himself condemning the government's action during the EndSARS struggle and expressing his support for the youths.
In the throwback post, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) recalled how he lost his voice when he joined the youth to shout on the streets.
He said, “The fight continues for a society that hears and upholds the rights of our vibrant youths.”
Many Obidients believe Akpata's EndSARS throwback post was triggered by Obi's dissociation of his followers from the Labour Party.
Some Obidients who reacted to the post have also expressed their disconnection with the LP, saying their membership of the movement is tied to Obi and not the party.