“The contents of your blogsite, I believe is divisive for this platform. Seems you created it for a partisan purpose. Is for Peter Obi political campaign and not everyone here is for Peter Obi.”
I received the above comment from one of my alumni WhatsApp groups for recurrent reportage of Peter Obi. Many other platforms have also complained about news dwelling on Obi and Labour Party.
Obi is trending on social media on an hourly basis, to put it mildly. If Peter Obi is not at the airport exchanging pleasantries with his large followership, he is attending the event of a mega church like Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Dunamis etc where he receives an incredible ovation and endorsement that disrupts worship services for at least 25 minutes.
If he is not at the opening of a newly donated Labour Party office in a part of the country, he will be a special guest addressing a conference organized by a professional body such as NBA. If he is not in London visiting the British Prime Minister’s residence, he will be in Egypt discussing Nigeria’s electricity megawatts with experts. Obi’s speeches are usually interrupted with shouts of accolades. Peter Obi is ubiquitous with voluntary cameras following him everywhere he goes: east, west, north and south.
The Obidients which comprises mainly of young Nigerians are propelling Peter Obi’s exposure with cutting-edge reach and coverage. If Obi coughs in his closet, someone somewhere will record the action and post on social media. Other users will repost and make a story out of the video. That is how popular and loved he has become.
In the last few months, Obi is always in the news for one reason or other, analyzing national issues and proffering solutions to them. Most mainstream television and radio stations have hosted Obi on their flagship programs. These interviews generated a lot of public interest. International bodies and embassies of the UK, US have received him as guests which trended for days on social media.
Peter Obi is a news maker that creates a lot of content for the social, new and traditional media. He may not be an orator but he commands attention wherever he speaks. His influence, global network and support base are extraordinary.
The OBIdient movement has the highest number of hashtags, slogans and support groups on social media. They are always on your screen staging a rally, a one-million-man march or a fitness walk in the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Critics have described OBIdients as obituary or obidiots wishing them away as painful nuisance on social media. Influencers such Reno Omokri, Sam Omatseye and Femi Kuti have raised alarm on Twitter over threats to their lives by members of the OBIdient movement.
Peter Obi has severally apologized on Twitter over the excesses and overzealousness of his followers.
DailyblastNG is a news and current affairs organization that cannot disregard the phenomenal and never-seen strides of Peter Obi and his ideological brand on the political landscape of Nigeria. Political opponents are angered by the sudden rise of this third force personality.
Blame us not for updating news items on Obi regularly because it is frequent and inexhaustible. Contents about Obi keeps pouring in like the proverbial oil on your head. Our audience have seriously questioned the space Obi has occupied on our online news website. We have been called out and accused of receiving funds from Peter Obi and Labour Party. This is far from the truth because the movement, “no dey give shishi” to anyone.
We have made enemies by publishing the never-ending stories of this evenly recognized Labour Party presidential candidate. Some folks have argued that we must extend same coverage to presidential candidates of other parties. True be told, news about other candidates is usually scanty and scarce. Meanwhile Obi and his OBIdient movement are creating massive traffic on and offline with activities albeit political campaigns are yet to officially commence.
Blame us not for reporting trending news and news makers. No serious media house will ignore news coming from the most aggressive and massive movement after the EndSARS.
OBIdients have proved that Nigerians will no longer tolerate misgovernance and that there must be consequences for unfulfilled promises and inflicting hardship on the electorate. Governance is a social contract, any political party that fails to deliver will surely be punished at the polls with the permanent voters’ card (PVC) of Nigerians.
OBIdients have exhibited uncommon courage and determination to change the narrative and usher in a new model of leadership in 2023. This fact has sent jittery down the spines of politicians with formidable political structures who perceive them as intolerant and harmful.
Peter Obi popularizes anyone or anything that associates with him. Love or hate him, Obi is the Nelson Mandela of Nigeria. He inspires hope in a generation of Nigerians that has been subjected to abject poverty and deprivation by the structures of the mainstream political parties.
Will this zeal to liberate Nigeria from the stronghold of her existential oppressors culminate in Peter Obi winning the presidential election with landslide victory in 2023? Time will tell. For now, fault not DailyblastNG for reporting trending information. We are merely discharging our media obligations to the world with fairness.
Dr Uzor Ngoladi is the founder and publisher of www.dailyblastng.com