Obidient Movement shouldn’t have been named after Peter Obi — Kenneth Okonkwo
Kenneth Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, has expressed that the Obidient Movement should not have been tied to Obi, arguing that this association has made the movement susceptible to fluctuations in Obi’s public image.
In a recent interview on the Selah Meditate Podcast, Okonkwo discussed the identity of the Obidient Movement and suggested that it emerged spontaneously from a desire for a better Nigeria among young citizens. He contended that the movement should have been allowed to maintain an independent identity, not affiliated with any individual politician.
“This was an organization that grew organically. It should have been left without a name tag,” he said. “It should have just been referred to as a movement for a better Nigeria, or something similar, without attaching a name to it.”
Okonkwo emphasized that linking the movement to Obi directly connects the politician’s reputation to its overall success. “Whatever happens to the person’s reputation affects the movement,” he stated.
He characterized the movement as more extensive than Obi, describing it as a culmination of broader political engagement among younger Nigerians. “That movement predates any politician. It was an organic movement by all younger Nigerians,” Okonkwo explained.
When pressed about the movement’s origins, which many attribute to Obi’s candidacy, Okonkwo disagreed. He traced the search for an alternative political force back to the 2019 general election, noting that discussions of a “third force” had emerged then, although supporters were unable to unite.
“No, remember when they were discussing the third force in 2019, they were looking for an alternative, but they could not aggregate themselves,” he said.
Okonkwo acknowledged that Obi became a focal point for advocates during the 2023 election. However, he maintained that branding the movement with Obi’s name was a misstep. “As the 2023 election approached, they identified someone they felt could serve as a symbol, but the error was in linking it with a name, suggesting that whatever happens to that individual will simultaneously affect the organization,” he said.
Reflecting on this experience, Okonkwo stated that he intends to ensure his own political movement is not named after him. “I learned from it. My movement is simply called Movement for Good Governance, and it will not be associated with my name. It will outlive me,” he noted.
He further explained that divorcing a movement from an individual allows it to endure through varying levels of popularity. “If I become unpopular tomorrow, it would not affect the movement. If I become popular, the movement can benefit from that,” he added.
