Key officials who spearheaded the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of Labour Party candidate Peter Obi have officially severed ties with their former leader and declared full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
The decision was announced on Wednesday morning, October 21, 2026, during a press conference held at the Abuja International Conference Centre.
The defectors unveiled a new political platform named “Batified Obidients” (Batified Obidients for Tinubu-Shettima 2027) and confirmed their adoption of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as their official political vehicle moving forward.
Addressing journalists during the briefing, Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, former Director of Operations of the 2023 Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, stated that the group’s transition stems from a detailed political appraisal of the 2023 election and the ongoing socio-economic developments in the country.
”Today, we have made our choice. Let there be no ambiguity,” Fagbenro-Byron declared. “We are former Labour Party and Obidient supporters, and we are now shifting our support to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and adopting the APC as our political vehicle for 2027 under the name Batified Obidients.”
Fagbenro-Byron cited leadership gaps within the 2023 Labour Party campaign, arguing that their former candidate lacked the necessary administrative structure to manage the vast network of professional volunteers who rallied behind him.
”We gave him the opportunity, encouragement, and resources,” he added. “What we could not give him was the capacity he did not have. At this juncture in our national journey, President Tinubu offers the most credible direction, tested resolve, and viable platform to rebuild Nigeria.”
Reading the official declaration statement, Fabian Ozoigbo Chukwudoruo, former Head of Logistics for the Obi-Datti Campaign Council and current Deputy National Coordinator of the Batified Obidients platform, acknowledged the current economic hardships faced by Nigerian households but defended the administration’s long-term reforms.
Chukwudoruo highlighted key policy milestones by the Tinubu administration, including; Empowering state governments to establish independent power markets, Securing financial independence for local councils through the Supreme Court ruling.
Expanding tertiary education access via the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and Expanding local fertiliser production capabilities.
”The pain today is real, but the old road was not better,” Chukwudoruo noted. “It was only hiding the problem. This new road is difficult now, but it lays the foundation for a stronger, more self-reliant nation.”
The group also endorsed Vice-President Kashim Shettima, praising his performance and teamwork within the presidency.
Addressing questions regarding their new identity, the group clarified that while they respect the proprietary nature of the original “Obidient Movement,” their new name deliberately reflects their political evolution.
”Our name is deliberate,” Fagbenro-Byron explained. “We do not deny our history, but we remain obedient to the hunger for good governance and Batified in our recognition of competence, courage, and vision.”
The platform announced plans to roll out nationwide grassroots mobilisation campaigns to explain the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, targeting neutral voters and former opposition strongholds ahead of the 2027 general elections.
