Fresh cracks have appeared within the Obidient Movement in Borno State after a violent clash disrupted the inauguration of its new state executive officers in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
The Obidient Movement, a support group for the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had gathered to usher in a new leadership team.
However, the event turned chaotic when the former state secretary, Wisdom Osai, protested the swearing-in, claiming that due process was ignored in selecting the new executives.
Eyewitnesses said the protest escalated after thugs stormed the venue to eject Osai, sparking a fight with his supporters. Chairs were broken, and many participants fled the scene.
Aggrieved members argued that the new leaders lacked legitimacy, alleging that their names were imposed without consultation.
One protester, Ike Joseph, said, “Some people just sat in a room and chose themselves.” Another member, Salih Adamu, rejected the new state coordinator, Ayuba Wakawa, describing him as “not a consensus candidate.”
On the other hand, supporters of the new executives accused the dissenters of being sponsored to cause division in the group.
Security operatives quickly restored order, allowing the inauguration to continue.
Reacting, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, dismissed the incident as the work of infiltrators.
He said, “It was a case of some people trying to infiltrate the ranks of the Obidient. The tension was quickly doused before it got out of hand. These are things that happen in politics, especially when elections are coming.”
Tanko praised the police for their swift intervention, which ensured the programme continued peacefully.
