Before I proceed, I will like to establish the foundation for this article, by quoting prominent members of the Nigerian political elites who have commented on the “presence” of the supporters of one of the front runners in the February 2023 Nigeria General elections, Peter Gregory Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, who are fondly known as the OBEDIENTS.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress and one of the spokespersons of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign council, Dr. Femi Fani Kayode had posted on his verified Twitter account that “the Obedients are everywhere”.
In his words: "Those that are 'Obidients' are EVERYWHERE. Those of us in the larger parties treat them with contempt & ignore them at our own peril. They are more dangerous to our cause than many of us can conceive or appreciate"

For the avoidance of doubt, this post was made while FFK was already in the ruling party, the APC, as seen in the screenshot below.

In a rather opposite stance, the spokesman for the APC Campaign Council and the Minister of state for Labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN has repeatedly opined that the Obedient movement is a “mere social media euphoria” and even commented that the “Abuja million man March for Peter Obi” was a flop and that his supporters were merely four people tweeting from the comfort of their homes.

This position or belief seem to have emanated from The self acclaimed “Table shaker” and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, Mr Reno Omokri, who is credited with the phrase; “Obedients are only on social media”

Supporters of the APC presidential candidate have all jumped on the phrase with this argument, that Obi supporters are only on social media. Some go as far as saying that the obedients have no PVC, referring to the Nigerian’s Permanent Voter’s Card.

In this article I will only attempt to state statistical facts and allow you to answer the question;

Obedients are only on social media: Fact or Delusion?

.

A Vanguard Newspaper report published on the 28th of September, 2022 and quoting the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS, says that the South Western region of Nigeria has the highest number of internet users in Nigeria. According to the vanguard newspaper;

According to NBS, internet usage in Nigeria in quarter 04, 2021 South Eastern Nigeria recorded 13.7 million users, which is the lowest among the states, except North East.

NBS data shows that in the quarter under review, South West region has the highest online users with 41.7 million followed by North Central with 26.6, North West has 25.4 users.
Others are South-South which has 20.8 million internet users and troubled North East which has 13.8 million.

From the above statistics, one would be tempted to conclude that the regions that are regarded as the Obedients stronghold have the least internet users, whereas, the BAT’s stronghold, has the highest number of internet users with a difference of over 50 million users. If we add the North West, North East and North Central, places that have all been tipped by Asiwaju’s supporters to have “already been secured”, this will bring a total of over 100 million internet users in those regions. Against a around 33 million users if we combine the South-South and South-Eastern regions that are believed to be Obi’s stronghold.

From the above data, one can as well conclude that 70% of internet users in Nigeria are domicile in regions that are believed to be the APC’s stronghold. Even the trouble North East has more internet users from the NBS data, more than the South East.

The questions now are as follows;
1. Is it possible that people from Obi’s stronghold reside more in the other regions, even more than the indigenous people?

2. How can we truly justify that, though obedients are in the minority, according to the data by NBS, yet all online polls conducted even by the candidates of the other political parties have seen the Obedients topping such polls?

3. How true is it, that Obedients are only on social media, if the people from the regions attributed to the Obedients movement are in minority in the internet users statistics?

4. Finally, Obedients are only on social media, is this a fact or delusion?

@WikiGuru

Cc: Seun, Lalasticlala.

Okay...


Obidients have dominated the political space of Nigeria. It's hypocritical how APC which is famed for having a separate arm of social media dedicated attackers and defenders are bringing up the case of SM every now and then.

Obidients have locked down Twitter and Facebook plus the streets too.

Agbados have been left no choice than to accept their fate of being irrelevant and despised. They only exist on WhatsApp groups.

Meanwhile, this was an UNOFFICIAL rally held on Twitter yesterday:

Impressive.
We love it

Freestuffsng
LegendHero
LeoDeking
Seunmsg
Frank14011991
lhordspy
Generalpula
Mynd44, your takes?

WikiGuru:
Freestuffsng
your takes?

It requires critical thinking sir. The devil is in the details. Numbers do not have emotions.

How many wards and polling centres do we have all over Nigeria? Why are political parties formed by alliances? Why has all the social media hype not reflected on votes for lp in the recent elections?

Why do you think the political dorminance of the ruling party in the top zones count for nothing? That APC governors, Senators, HOR, House of Assemblies, LG chairmen, councillors, political appointees etc will vote for their party does not strike you as more formidable than social media hype.

According to Hon Bwala, analytics of Twitter people showed that most of the active tweeps are outside Nigeria and most of them are not voting next year; they account for 57% of the active tweeps and most of them are the ones hyping lp on social media

Sir, my verdict is that APC will win in a landslide. NW, SW, NE and NC are already in APC's kitty and the SE that is in contention between PDP and LP has the least registered voters.
check my signature for free stuffs!

My question is does the OP exists in real life or is he a spirit that exists only on social media? If the OP is a human being and using social media to pass this message exists in real life then OBIdients that are using social media exists in real life too and they have voter's card.

The voices of the youths were silenced with bullets at the Lekki toll gate so they've decided to use the only weapon they have in 2023, the ballot.

Romanoff:


.

Were those you alleged to have been silenced from your friends or family circle because no single family complained of losing any loved one? So if the dead are from your family or friends, please accept my condolences, I can help you get compensation for them

FreeStuffsNG:

It requires critical thinking sir. The devil is in the details.

How many wards and polling centres do we have all over Nigeria? Why are political parties formed by alliances? Why has all the social media hype not reflected on votes for lp in the recent elections?

Why do you think the political dorminance of the ruling party in the top zones count for nothing? That APC governors, Senators, HOR, House of Assemblies, LG chairmen, councillors, political appointees etc will vote for their party does not strike you as more formidable than social media hype.

According to Hon Bwala, analytics of Twitter people who are outside Nigeria and not voting next year is 57% and most of them are the ones hyping lp on social media

Sir, my verdict is that APC will win in a landslide. NW, SW, NE and NC are already in APC's kitty and the SE that is in contention between PDP and LP have the least registered voters.

I like that you have stated your opinions without resorting to name calling as most would do, kudus!

However, I must point to the fact that the coming presidential election is a shift from the usual norm. There has been an upward surge in voters registration with over 80% of them youths.
You seem like one who is well informed and if that’s the case, then you must have followed the trend, where the young people are clamoring for change and inclusiveness.

I don’t honestly think that there is any state where the “Governors, Senators, Reps, LG Chairmen, Councilors” will command the youths to go and vote so so and so again. That era is gradually becoming obsolete. The youths in this coming election want to dare the status quo. They have the number to do so, you would agree.

I will also recommend that you study the election of Gabriel Boric, the 35 year old student leader who was overwhelmingly voted into power earlier this year in Chile. Kenyans also dared the status quo recently, by voting into power a candidate that was regarded as “no force” against Ruto, a more established and recognized candidate.

I assume you are below your 50s. I would assume you will side with the younger generation, but again, that’s my assumption.

FreeStuffsNG:
Were those you alleged to have been silenced from your friends or family circle because no single family complained of losing any loved one? So if they were, please accept my condolences, I can help you get compensation for them

Asinwin.

2023 no far again.

When they tell you that obedients are only an online phenomenon, they're basically trying to prepare the ground for grand riggings. This is to disabuse the minds of the uninitiated into accepting the would be rigged outcomes of the elections next year. They want to put themselves in a position where they will say "I told you" .

WikiGuru:


I like that you have stated your opinions without resorting to name calling as most would do, kudus!

However, I must point to the fact that the coming presidential election is a shift from the usual norm. There has been an upward surge in voters registration with over 80% of them youths.
You seem like one who is well informed and if that’s the case, then you must have followed the trend, where the young people are clamoring for change and inclusiveness.

I don’t honestly think that there is any state where the “Governors, Senators, Reps, LG Chairmen, Councilors” will command the youths to go and vote so so and so again. That era is gradually becoming obsolete. The youths in this coming election want to date the status quo. They have the number and to do so, you would agree.

I will also recommend that you study the election of Gabriel Boric, the 35 year old student leader who was overwhelmingly voted into power earlier this year in Chile. Kenyans also dared the status quo recently, by voting into power a candidate that was regarded as “no force” against Ruto, a more established and recognized candidate.

I assume you are below your 50s. I would assume you will side with the younger generation, but again, that’s my assumption.

Sir the youths voted in Ekiti and Osun. In fact, for Osun, the two leading parties had to bring in musical artist with huge following among the youths yet lp got 2k votes. These two states of Osun and Ekiti are among the states with the highest literacy rate and internet penetration. If you pay close attention to the numbers and dynamics in those recent elections you will even place SDP over lp.

Why did I refer to the huge polling station numbers and having political office holders?

it is to emphasise the huge scale of planning, funding and logistics that a small party like lp can not deliver. Presidential election is huuge and reaching far flung places in large lamd mass states especially in the north is an uphill task. So uphill that you need political alliances to achieve it. There are far flung places where the only parties they know are just PDP and APC.

I love numbers and it is easy to create an emperical model from the numbers and extrapolate. As at today, the best model so far is the Osun result and it is a disastrious outing for lp. All our diaspora guys are out of tune with the reality and are not voting but hope that the hype will help when 90% of registered voters in the north are not even on social media according to HE Atiku.

Yes we are proudly obident.
We already have our own social media called https://hashlers.com

FreeStuffsNG:

Sir the youths voted in Ekiti and Osun. In fact, for Osun, the two leading parties had to bring in musical artist with huge following among the youths yet lp got 2k votes. These two states of Osun and Ekiti are among the states with the highest literacy rate and internet penetration. If you pay close attention to the numbers and dynamics in those recent elections you will even place SDP over lp.

Why did I refer to the huge polling station numbers and having political office holders?

it is to emphasise the huge scale of planning, funding and logistics that a small party like lp can not deliver. Presidential election is huuge and reaching far flung places in large lamd mass states especially in the north is an uphill task. So uphill that you need political alliances to achieve it. There are far flung places where the only parties they know are just PDP and APC.

I love numbers and it is easy to create an emperical model from the numbers and extrapolate. As at today, the best model so far is the Osun result and it is a disastrious outing for lp. All our diaspora guys are out of tune with the reality and are not voting but hope that the hype will help when 90% of registered voters in the north are not even on social media according to HE Atiku.

LP party did not prepare for Osun governorship election, besides you should understand that every election has it Peculiarity Adeleke was the candidate osun citizen want

Onuahia:
Yes we are proudly obident.
We already have our own social media called https://hashlers.com

Fake Fake Fake

Fake Obedient member.

This does not belong to Obidients please.

You want to use this to get details of People supporting Peter Obi. I won't work for you ooo
Don't do this to yourself.

I know all your usernames on Nairaland and they all support Tinubu.
You're an APC supporter.

system21:

LP party did not prepare for Osun governorship election, besides you should understand that every election has it Peculiarity Adeleke was the candidate osun citizen want

LP participated in Osun and the candidate of Lp in Osun was far more prominent than even Chief Ogunbiyi of ADC who decamped from PDP shortly before the election.
Presidential election is not for small boys and a mushroom party like lp.

Not even PMB could use CPC despite his hige following among northerners nor Asiwaju Tinubu can bank on his ACN platform to win Presidency. lp is not even near ACN or CPC yet those guys could not do it alone. lp is not ready o and unfortunately after its loss HE Obi will return back to PDP or APGA because he can not keep funding lp for the next 4 years.

FreeStuffsNG:

Sir the youths voted in Ekiti and Osun. In fact, for Osun, the two leading parties had to bring in musical artist with huge following among the youths yet lp got 2k votes. These two states of Osun and Ekiti are among the states with the highest literacy rate and internet penetration. If you pay close attention to the numbers and dynamics in those recent elections you will even place SDP over lp.

Why did I refer to the huge polling station numbers and having political office holders?

it is to emphasise the huge scale of planning, funding and logistics that a small party like lp can not deliver. Presidential election is huuge and reaching far flung places in large lamd mass states especially in the north is an uphill task. So uphill that you need political alliances to achieve it. There are far flung places where the only parties they know are just PDP and APC.

I love numbers and it is easy to create an emperical model from the numbers and extrapolate. As at today, the best model so far is the Osun result and it is a disastrious outing for lp. All our diaspora guys are out of tune with the reality and are not voting but hope that the hype will help when 90% of registered voters in the north are not even on social media according to HE Atiku.

Firstly, HE Atiku is not an authority in data collection and analysis. The data above as published by vanguard, a reputable media house, quoting directly the NBS, an authority in data collection and analysis. Who will you rather believe sir, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics that says ALL regions in Nigeria have more internet users than the South East or HE Atiku, a politician? The question is rhetorical!!!

Using the Osun state election to assess LP is akin to an ostrich burying its head in the sand! Countless times in Nigerian elections, people vote different parties for presidential and state elections.
For instance, the APC Campaign Director, Simon Lalong won Plateau State in 2019, yet HE Atiku under the PDP won the presidency election in Plateau.
Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, a PDP candidate won the governorship election, whereas PMB won the presidential election under APC in the state that same year.

Anambra state has constantly voted for the PDP since 1999 yet, the governors in the state are predominantly APGA memebers. Do you get the point now?

Even when people never teamed up for a particular candidate, they voted differently for states and presidential elections.

Again, assessing the LP outing in Osun and using that as measure for the forthcoming presidential election is akin to denying facts before you.

FreeStuffsNG:

It requires critical thinking sir. The devil is in the details. Numbers do not have emotions.

How many wards and polling centres do we have all over Nigeria? Why are political parties formed by alliances? Why has all the social media hype not reflected on votes for lp in the recent elections?

Why do you think the political dorminance of the ruling party in the top zones count for nothing? That APC governors, Senators, HOR, House of Assemblies, LG chairmen, councillors, political appointees etc will vote for their party does not strike you as more formidable than social media hype.

According to Hon Bwala, analytics of Twitter people showed that most of the active tweeps are outside Nigeria and mpst of them are not voting next year; they account for 57% of the active tweeps and most of them are the ones hyping lp on social media

Sir, my verdict is that APC will win in a landslide. NW, SW, NE and NC are already in APC's kitty and the SE that is in contention between PDP and LP have the least registered voters.

I doubt whether LP has enough members to even position polling agents at each booth.

Romanoff:
The voices of the youths were silenced with bullets at the Lekki toll gate so they've decided to use the only weapon they have in 2023, the ballot.

Even CNN had to withdraw from the prepared lies lekki killings after they discovered it was all lies..

Remove your mind from that lies. It wasn’t real.

Cpc frenzy in the north in 2011 was more than these obis issue in the south, buhari was able to monster 12 million votes,no agents in some units, no candidates in some positions. So just forget all this obidient shits, The fact is obi can't win,he might get millions of vote but he needs structure just like buhari

frank14011991:
Cpc frenzy in the north in 2011 was more than these obis issue in the south, buhari was able to monster 12 million votes,no agents in some units, no candidates in some positions. So just forget all this obidient shits, The fact is obi can't win,he might get millions of vote but he needs structure just like buhari

You seem so sure! Is there something you’re very privy to and the rest of us aren’t? You seem so sure!

Pure lies......they are everywhere.
I wish our high institutions were open, you will be amazed to see the level of sound reasoning n arguments on whom to vote and how the 2023 elections will go..
May the best candidate win and may God make our country better for all!

Do not be deceived, most of them in my area, I have sampled close to 17 of them, they do not have PvC

WikiGuru:


You seem so sure! Is there something you’re very privy to and the rest of us aren’t? You seem so sure!

How do you want Obi to win a presidential election with just 1 senate seat? They say politics is local. Do you think presidential election will only be conducted in state capitals?

system21:

LP party did not prepare for Osun governorship election, besides you should understand that every election has it Peculiarity Adeleke was the candidate osun citizen want

And you think same Lp without candidates in most of the states are ready for the presidential election?

WikiGuru:


You seem so sure! Is there something you’re very privy to and the rest of us aren’t? You seem so sure!

Put it on record today, there is no single state from NW/NE that Obi will get above 20,000 / 30,000 above

OPPPS:


How do you want Obi to win a presidential election with just 1 senate seat? They say politics is local. Do you think presidential election will only be conducted in state capitals?

People have actually won elections with no members in any parliament. The case of Chile is fresh

WikiGuru:


You seem so sure! Is there something you’re very privy to and the rest of us aren’t? You seem so sure!

I stay in jigawa,no any presence of obi here, only non indigenes are are supporting him which are not up to 5%. May God spare our lives till February

I think a lot of persons are yet to differentiate the LP from the Obidatti movement. In Osun, it was contested as LP candidate but at the presidential,
it would be the personalities of the respective candidates that would be the deciding factor.

FreeStuffsNG:

Sir the youths voted in Ekiti and Osun. In fact, for Osun, the two leading parties had to bring in musical artist with huge following among the youths yet lp got 2k votes. These two states of Osun and Ekiti are among the states with the highest literacy rate and internet penetration. If you pay close attention to the numbers and dynamics in those recent elections you will even place SDP over lp.

Why did I refer to the huge polling station numbers and having political office holders?

it is to emphasise the huge scale of planning, funding and logistics that a small party like lp can not deliver. Presidential election is huuge and reaching far flung places in large lamd mass states especially in the north is an uphill task. So uphill that you need political alliances to achieve it. There are far flung places where the only parties they know are just PDP and APC.

I love numbers and it is easy to create an emperical model from the numbers and extrapolate. As at today, the best model so far is the Osun result and it is a disastrious outing for lp. All our diaspora guys are out of tune with the reality and are not voting but hope that the hype will help when 90% of registered voters in the north are not even on social media according to HE Atiku.

It's like thinking ENDSARS was limited to SARS operations alone. It was rather and introductory protest against bad government in general and not necessarily about the police outfit alone.

stillcreative:
I think a lot of persons are yet to differentiate the LP from the Obidatti movement. In Osun, it was contested as LP candidate but at the presidential,
it would be the personalities of the respective candidates that would be the deciding factor.