TonyeBarcanista:
During the period of electioneering ahead of the 2015 Presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general with an unpleasant antecedent, was nominated by then opposition merger, All Progressives Congress (APC), as their candidate for the 2015 presidential election. Following his emergence, he was touted as the long-awaited messiah to take Nigeria to the path of greatness by his Party members. Aside members of the APC, Buhari was equally projected to Nigerians by a group of people disguising as 'apolitical intellectuals' as the man to rescue Nigeria from the 'misgovernance' of the Goodluck Jonathan led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, and restore Nigeria to eldorado.

These influencers and their followers employed emotional, psychological, ethnic and religious tools laced with propaganda to manipulate Nigerians into joining the Buhari train. Whenever you confront them with past records of Muhammadu Buhari, they will dismissed your observation entirely with the phrase "I have decided to vote change". Some go to the extreme of either labeling you a hireling of Jonathan/PDP or an enemy of good governance. When you remind them that Buhari, the man they tout as the 'Incoming Messiah", was dishonest about his academic records, truncated the democracy enjoyed in the second republic, caused Nigeria economic havoc while as military head of state, literally set Lagos state sixty years backwards with the truncation of the rail project of Lateef Jakande (due to gross ignorance), perpetrated rights abuses, jailed journalists for doing their job with his infamous decree, promoted sectionalism, tribalism and allegedly perpetrated graft as chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), these influencers will shut you down. They justify the coup (calling it a child of necessity), and they downplayed his intellectual deficiency and dishonest academic record by saying that NEPA bill (electricity bill) is as good (if not better) than an academic or professional certificates. They justified his abuse of human rights saying that Nigerians need iron hand to behave decently, and adorned Buhari with the robe of "reformed democrat" to shoot down his dictatorial past. In fact, these influencers took advantage of some of shortcomings of the then Goodluck administration especially with respect to the growing insecurity in the Northeast and parts of the Northwest by Boko Haram insurgents. They manipulated the anger of Nigerians that arose from the ill-informed removal of fuel subsidy on 2012 New Year Day against the Jonathan's government just to force the Buhari agenda down their throat. They equally took advantage of the desperation of the north to return to power to boost their numerical strength and caused increase in Buhari electoral standing; at the end, Buhari won the 2015 presidential. But unfortunately, the entire country has been in flames ever since with hyperinflation and its resultant economic woes, banditry and other forms of insecurity, sectionalism, gross rights abuse and other forms of misgovernance.

Like the 2015 electioneering era, a group of influencers and their followers have "hijacked" the airwaves to force the aspiration of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate down the throats of Nigerians. Similar to what transpired in the run-up to the 2015 election, these people, who have christened themselves as 'Obidients', have resulted to taking advantage of the epic failure of Buhari led APC administration to manipulate Nigerians to embrace Peter Obi - who they have already adorned with the messianic robe. They push the Obi candidacy through false claims, half truths and unverified facts, and are prepared to mobilize a media mob action against anyone that dares express contrary opinion about their audio messiah irrespective of their previous relationship with the person. Aside adorning Obi the messianic robe, his promoters equally elevated themselves to the status of 'heroes' of Nigeria, while engraving the 'villain' stamp on the foreheads of those who are not subscribed to Obi presidential aspiration. But how sincere are they?

While the Obi influencers' claim that the passion for a progressive Nigerian system with economic improvement, secuity of lives and property, respect for human rights, transparency and general good governance informed their position on Obi, they get angry, threatening and defensive when reminded them of Obi's antecedents. As Governor of Anambra State, Obi administration could not to grow Anambra State internal generated revenue beyond a meagre monthly 400 milion naira even when relatively poor Cross river State was generating 600 million naira monthly. The same IGR was raised to 1.4 billion monthly by Obi successor, Obiano, shortly after assuming office. Is that the man that can improve Nigeria's economic fortunes? When you confront Obi or these influencers with these facts, they will tell you that he saved N75 billion naira for the state; a claim described as false by his successor, Willie Obiano. In contrast, Obi was said to handover a debt burden of N185 billion and hurriedly recruited over 6000 employees into the State's Civil service on the eve of his exit; which Obiano administration was expected to cater for. Interestingly, Obi as Governor refused to pay workers the minimum wage and threatened to fire striking workers (Medical doctors and others) from the state service. In fact, Peter Obi administration was described by Anambra Indigenes on Ndigbo Facebook Page as a calamity that befell the state.
Read: Feedback from 2011 Ndigbo Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/127503268408/posts/pfbid03gj1rhLPBy2a8qAevQ8NZ7b2FLf5pZH2XwnNP1eoJeJ1UPLuX2cdapftQiz69ALyl/

Furthermore, these Obi influencers, many of whom were active in the agitation against police brutality and other human rights abuses through the #EndSARS movement, are promoting the candidacy of a man that infamously ordered shoot-on-sight on MASSOB members in Anambra State even when the group was not declared a terrorist organisation during his time as governor (and extrajudicial order); most of the people killed as a result of that order were innocent traders and youths. When you point this to these influencers, they will not hesitate to betray themselves by either defending it or pretend like it never happened. [b]These influencers usually claim Obi represents a new order, but when you look at some of the people Obi has sought endorsement from, you see members of the old blocks that have held Nigeria with Iron fists in the past decades and unwilling not to loose grip and are christened 'owners of Nigeria'; I mean the likes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo - both men sold Buhari to Nigerians in 2015. Again, what new order is Obi bringing? The Obi influencers claim that "Nigeria should do away with PDP and APC" but when reminded that Obi himself was once a PDP Chieftain that even served in the eve of Jonathan's administration and ran as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election, while Datti Baba Ahmed his deputy has been a longtime ally of Buhari since 2003, a foundational member of APC and a member of PDP (from December 2017) where he was a presidential aspirant (2018) and Kaduna State 2023 gubernatorial aspirant (until May 2022), they will employ emotional tactics to save face. In fact, majority of the people that constitute LP are politicians that lost out in the politics of major Parties; this include Obi, Datti Ahmed and LP's VP Placeholder, Dr. Doyin Okupe . Penultimate to their exit from PDP,[/b] Obi lost to Chief Chris Uba power block in the battle to control Anambra PDP, while Datti was heading to defeat in in his gubernatorial quest under PDP because the odd favored Hon. Ashiru Kudan.

Like Buhari influencers of 2015 made opposition to Buhari to mean opposition to northern interests and punished people from the north that opposed Buhari, the Obi influencers are emotionally blackmailing everyone from to the South to join their project labeling southerners, especially those from southeast, that refused to be blinded by Obidient chant as saboteurs and enemies of southern/Igbo agenda/race.

Unlike 2015 where Buhari influencers pushed many into bringing the Buhari administration, Nigerians should refuse to be deceived by the antics of these Obi influencers. They should ask the right questions about Obi and insist on the right answers. Let no one deceive you!


May God bless Us All and Bless Nigeria
TonyeBarcanista writes from Abuja
I can be reached at: @TonyeBarcanista on Nairaland, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Itoro350:
WHO READ THIS POST FINISH? ANYWAY OBI IS THE ANSWER. ALL SAY OBI.

mrvitalis:

The fact that this politicians pay people like you is surprising honestly ...which influence do they even thing paid columnist like you have honestly ?

NyamiriFlathead:
Piter hoebi fool is going nowhere, even a cow has a better chance than the braindead akpu munching pig... Mind you, on Tinubu's mandate i stand gidigba

LordIsaac:
But honestly, I just watched a clip of his analysis at Taraba, I may become Obidient myself. Although, God forbid I vote Tinubu.

Maxymilliano:
Barcanista I don't see how this should be your problem, this is democracy and people have the rights to support any candidate of their choice.

ShaqFu:
in Nigeria, action always speak louder than words. All Peter Obi is doing is make noise and more noise on social media. History has shown that those who make noise usually don't achieve anything.

It's sad Nigeria has no one of repute to bring to the fore. We keep seeing the same old politician using different gimmick to deceive the foolish masses. It's a shame.

TonyeBarcanista:

As a veteran on Nairaland Political section, this is what you could come up with after quoting the entire piece?

As Governor of Anambra State, Obi administration could not to grow Anambra State internal generated revenue beyond a meagre monthly 400 milion naira even when relatively poor Cross river State was generating 600 million naira monthly. The same IGR was raised to 1.4 billion monthly by Obi successor, Obiano, shortly after assuming office. Is that the man that can improve Nigeria's economic fortunes? When you confront Obi or these influencers with these facts, they will tell you that he saved N75 billion naira for the state; a claim described as false by his successor, Willie Obiano. In contrast, Obi was said to handover a debt burden of N185 billion and hurriedly recruited over 6000 employees into the State's Civil service on the eve of his exit; which Obiano administration was expected to cater for. Interestingly, Obi as Governor refused to pay workers the minimum wage and threatened to fire striking workers (Medical doctors and others) from the state service. In fact, Peter Obi administration was described by Anambra Indigenes on Ndigbo Facebook Page as a calamity that befell the state.

LordIsaac:

Honestly, that's the point. No past politician (who has steered the affairs of this nation at any level) can be trusted. May God help us. I have a serious voter-apathy!

TonyeBarcanista:
During the period of electioneering ahead of the 2015 Presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general with an unpleasant antecedent, was nominated by then opposition merger, All Progressives Congress (APC), as their candidate for the 2015 presidential election. Following his emergence, he was touted as the long-awaited messiah to take Nigeria to the path of greatness by his Party members. Aside members of the APC, Buhari was equally projected to Nigerians by a group of people disguising as 'apolitical intellectuals' as the man to rescue Nigeria from the 'misgovernance' of the Goodluck Jonathan led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, and restore Nigeria to eldorado.

These influencers and their followers employed emotional, psychological, ethnic and religious tools laced with propaganda to manipulate Nigerians into joining the Buhari train. Whenever you confront them with past records of Muhammadu Buhari, they will dismissed your observation entirely with the phrase "I have decided to vote change". Some go to the extreme of either labeling you a hireling of Jonathan/PDP or an enemy of good governance. When you remind them that Buhari, the man they tout as the 'Incoming Messiah", was dishonest about his academic records, truncated the democracy enjoyed in the second republic, caused Nigeria economic havoc while as military head of state, literally set Lagos state sixty years backwards with the truncation of the rail project of Lateef Jakande (due to gross ignorance), perpetrated rights abuses, jailed journalists for doing their job with his infamous decree, promoted sectionalism, tribalism and allegedly perpetrated graft as chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), these influencers will shut you down. They justify the coup (calling it a child of necessity), and they downplayed his intellectual deficiency and dishonest academic record by saying that NEPA bill (electricity bill) is as good (if not better) than an academic or professional certificates. They justified his abuse of human rights saying that Nigerians need iron hand to behave decently, and adorned Buhari with the robe of "reformed democrat" to shoot down his dictatorial past. In fact, these influencers took advantage of some of shortcomings of the then Goodluck administration especially with respect to the growing insecurity in the Northeast and parts of the Northwest by Boko Haram insurgents. They manipulated the anger of Nigerians that arose from the ill-informed removal of fuel subsidy on 2012 New Year Day against the Jonathan's government just to force the Buhari agenda down their throat. They equally took advantage of the desperation of the north to return to power to boost their numerical strength and caused increase in Buhari electoral standing; at the end, Buhari won the 2015 presidential. But unfortunately, the entire country has been in flames ever since with hyperinflation and its resultant economic woes, banditry and other forms of insecurity, sectionalism, gross rights abuse and other forms of misgovernance.

Like the 2015 electioneering era, a group of influencers and their followers have "hijacked" the airwaves to force the aspiration of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate down the throats of Nigerians. Similar to what transpired in the run-up to the 2015 election, these people, who have christened themselves as 'Obidients', have resulted to taking advantage of the epic failure of Buhari led APC administration to manipulate Nigerians to embrace Peter Obi - who they have already adorned with the messianic robe. They push the Obi candidacy through false claims, half truths and unverified facts, and are prepared to mobilize a media mob action against anyone that dares express contrary opinion about their audio messiah irrespective of their previous relationship with the person. Aside adorning Obi the messianic robe, his promoters equally elevated themselves to the status of 'heroes' of Nigeria, while engraving the 'villain' stamp on the foreheads of those who are not subscribed to Obi presidential aspiration. But how sincere are they?

While the Obi influencers' claim that the passion for a progressive Nigerian system with economic improvement, secuity of lives and property, respect for human rights, transparency and general good governance informed their position on Obi, they get angry, threatening and defensive when reminded them of Obi's antecedents. As Governor of Anambra State, Obi administration could not to grow Anambra State internal generated revenue beyond a meagre monthly 400 milion naira even when relatively poor Cross river State was generating 600 million naira monthly. The same IGR was raised to 1.4 billion monthly by Obi successor, Obiano, shortly after assuming office. Is that the man that can improve Nigeria's economic fortunes? When you confront Obi or these influencers with these facts, they will tell you that he saved N75 billion naira for the state; a claim described as false by his successor, Willie Obiano. In contrast, Obi was said to handover a debt burden of N185 billion and hurriedly recruited over 6000 employees into the State's Civil service on the eve of his exit; which Obiano administration was expected to cater for. Interestingly, Obi as Governor refused to pay workers the minimum wage and threatened to fire striking workers (Medical doctors and others) from the state service. In fact, Peter Obi administration was described by Anambra Indigenes on Ndigbo Facebook Page as a calamity that befell the state.
Read: Feedback from 2011 Ndigbo Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/127503268408/posts/pfbid03gj1rhLPBy2a8qAevQ8NZ7b2FLf5pZH2XwnNP1eoJeJ1UPLuX2cdapftQiz69ALyl/

Furthermore, these Obi influencers, many of whom were active in the agitation against police brutality and other human rights abuses through the #EndSARS movement, are promoting the candidacy of a man that infamously ordered shoot-on-sight on MASSOB members in Anambra State even when the group was not declared a terrorist organisation during his time as governor (and extrajudicial order); most of the people killed as a result of that order were innocent traders and youths. When you point this to these influencers, they will not hesitate to betray themselves by either defending it or pretend like it never happened. These influencers usually claim Obi represents a new order, but when you look at some of the people Obi has sought endorsement from, you see members of the old blocks that have held Nigeria with Iron fists in the past decades and unwilling not to loose grip and are christened 'owners of Nigeria'; I mean the likes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo - both men sold Buhari to Nigerians in 2015. Again, what new order is Obi bringing? The Obi influencers claim that "Nigeria should do away with PDP and APC" but when reminded that Obi himself was once a PDP Chieftain that even served in the eve of Jonathan's administration and ran as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election, while Datti Baba Ahmed his deputy has been a longtime ally of Buhari since 2003, a foundational member of APC and a member of PDP (from December 2017) where he was a presidential aspirant (2018) and Kaduna State 2023 gubernatorial aspirant (until May 2022), they will employ emotional tactics to save face. In fact, majority of the people that constitute LP are politicians that lost out in the politics of major Parties; this include Obi, Datti Ahmed and LP's VP Placeholder, Dr. Doyin Okupe . Penultimate to their exit from PDP, Obi lost to Chief Chris Uba power block in the battle to control Anambra PDP, while Datti was heading to defeat in in his gubernatorial quest under PDP because the odd favored Hon. Ashiru Kudan.

Like Buhari influencers of 2015 made opposition to Buhari to mean opposition to northern interests and punished people from the north that opposed Buhari, the Obi influencers are emotionally blackmailing everyone from to the South to join their project labeling southerners, especially those from southeast, that refused to be blinded by Obidient chant as saboteurs and enemies of southern/Igbo agenda/race.

Unlike 2015 where Buhari influencers pushed many into bringing the Buhari administration, Nigerians should refuse to be deceived by the antics of these Obi influencers. They should ask the right questions about Obi and insist on the right answers. Let no one deceive you!


May God bless Us All and Bless Nigeria
TonyeBarcanista writes from Abuja
I can be reached at: @TonyeBarcanista on Nairaland, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram