₦airaland Forum

OBIDIENT MOVEMENT REJECTS THE APPOINTMENT OF THEO ABU AGADA AND DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM NDC LEADERSHIP AND TANKO YUNUSA

The attention of the Obidient Movement has been drawn to the appointment of Theo Abu Agada as Director of New Media and Strategic Communications by the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

We condemn this appointment in the strongest possible terms.

This appointment is not just insensitive. It is a direct insult to their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the Obidient Movement, and the millions of Nigerians who have stood firmly behind a movement built on competence, character, justice, accountability, and people-centred politics.

A party that claims to value the Obidient Movement cannot turn around and appoint a man whose public record is filled with repeated attacks, insults, and open hostility towards their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Obidients. You cannot disrespect the largest support base within your political structure and still pretend you are building unity.

Theo Abu Agada has publicly described supporters of their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in insulting terms. He has questioned Peter Obi’s capacity, portrayed him as a threat to free speech, accused his supporters with reckless language, and repeatedly made statements that show clear contempt for the same movement NDC now expects to energise its public communication.

Even worse, he once claimed that Peter Obi had “unleashed his IPOB supporters on Nigerians.” That kind of statement goes beyond political disagreement. It is a dangerous attempt to link their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Obidients to IPOB, and by extension paint the movement with the brush of extremism and terrorism. No serious political party that respects Peter Obi or the Obidient Movement should reward such a person with a sensitive communications position.

Can NDC appoint someone who has publicly insulted and disparaged Rabiu Kwankwaso or the Kwankwasiyya Movement into a sensitive communications position and expect Kwankwasiyya supporters to clap for it? Can NDC reward someone who has repeatedly attacked Kwankwaso and still claim it respects his movement?

If the answer is no, then why does NDC think it can do this to their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Obidient Movement?

The NDC leadership must explain how such a person passed through any serious political vetting process for a sensitive communications role. New Media and Strategic Communications is not a decoration. It is the public voice of a party. Appointing someone with a history of hostility towards their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Obidient Movement into that office sends a very clear message, and the message is disrespect.

This also raises serious questions about the role and effectiveness of Tanko Yunusa as the leader of the Obidient Movement.

What exactly is Tanko doing?

In the Labour Party, he was always seen around the leadership, taking pictures and standing close to Peter Obi, yet the same Labour Party repeatedly disrespected Peter Obi and the movement he was supposed to represent.

In ADC, the same pattern repeated itself. The Obidient Movement was treated with disregard, and its value was undermined.

Now in NDC, the same thing is happening again. The party leadership continues to disregard the Obidient Movement, even though Obidients remain the largest, loudest, and most active stakeholder group in this political alignment. That disregard has now reached their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, directly through the appointment of someone whose public record shows open hostility towards him.

So we ask again: what exactly is Tanko doing?

Is he there to defend the movement, or to take pictures?

Is he there to protect Peter Obi’s political leverage, or to stand in rooms like a mannequin?

Is he there to represent Obidients, or to lock comment sections whenever people ask uncomfortable questions?

Tanko Yunusa must answer a simple question: what the hell is he doing?

The Obidient Movement cannot continue to be treated as a crowd for rallies, online engagement, and political optics, while those who openly insult the movement are put in strategic positions where they will continue the insults.

We demand the following:

1. The immediate reversal of Theo Abu Agada’s appointment.
2. A public explanation from the NDC leadership on how this appointment was approved.
3. A formal apology to their presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Obidient Movement.
4. A clear commitment from NDC that no individual with a public record of hostility towards Peter Obi or the Obidient Movement will be placed in any sensitive strategic communication role.
5. A full explanation from Tanko Yunusa on what he is doing as leader of the Obidient Movement and why this pattern of disrespect keeps repeating itself under his watch.

The Obidient Movement is not a spare tyre. We are not political furniture. We are not a movement to be used when convenient and disrespected when power is being shared.

If NDC wants the energy, credibility, reach, and sacrifice of Obidients, then it must treat the movement with respect.

Anything short of that is unacceptable.

Karigwe
Prophet of Thoughts

For and on behalf of Obidients, since the leadership of the Movement is sleeping.

Ofunaofu:
Disclaimer: This statement, and others like it, did not emanate from the Obidient Movement.

Please state it correctly, OP.

They are "Obidient Ninjas" ... a faceless group dubiously parading themselves as representatives of the Obidient Movement, set up to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

Lanretoye:
Gbajue has traded every other position for ticket,they don’t have a choice

Moroccoguy:
What a time to be alive, obident will need to swallow there pride for now.

Gotocourt:
Yarimo leave our party alone

SixSeven:
I am very sure they will change him. One thing I have noticed about the Obidients is the demand for accountability. It is something we have lost as a nation because people have gotten tired of complaining and not seeing any change but this is what people expect even in all the parties but unfortunately, the babasopecracy will not let it be.

You know what's funny? If they don't change it, those whose parties have let all manner of people represent them will use this appointment to abuse NDC. Even Reno will come out and write stories.

SixSeven:
I am very sure they will change him. One thing I have noticed about the Obidients is the demand for accountability. It is something we have lost as a nation because people have gotten tired of complaining and not seeing any change but this is what people expect even in all the parties but unfortunately, the babasopecracy will not let it be.

You know what's funny? If they don't change it, those whose parties have let all manner of people represent them will use this appointment to abuse NDC. Even Reno will come out and write stories.

aswani:
Honestly, these Obidients make life so much interesting.

Kudos to NDC, they are facing up to them squarely. ADC bent over backwards for them, LP allowed them to walk all over them. Them ending up with NDC who just seem to want to go for their jugular is so funny.

This popcorn tastes sweeter today.