2023 guber: Obi/Datti movement merges with YPP in A’Ibom

The Peter Obi-Yusuf Datti Campaign movement popularly called ‘Obidients’ in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday, March 4, collapsed its structure into the Young Progressives Party, YPP for the coming March 11 governorship election in the state.

This was contained in a press statement signed by Otoabasi Asuquo and Engr Otoabasi Ntiah, respectively the Convener and Coordinator of the movement in the state. The statement was read during a formal declaration of support for the YPP guber candidate, Senator Bassey Akpan in Uyo, the state capital.

Dismissing the insinuation that the Obi-Datti movement is for the Labour Party, the coalition said: “As Obidients, we are not controlled by political party policies or ideologies. Rather, we look out for candidates with good character, capacity, competence and compassion. We chose to promote the best presidential candidate, that of the Labour Party, HE Peter Obi, because we saw that he has the solutions to Nigeria’s problems.

“In Akwa Ibom, after a long meeting with all the support groups numbering over 100, we carried out adequate background checks on all the governorship candidates of the various political parties in the state. We used a formula called the 4 Cs – character, capacity, competence and compassion, and Senator Bassey Akpan perfectly fits into the shoes.”

The statement reads in part: “As you are aware, the Obi-Datti movement goes beyond party lines. We are a group of like minds who desire a better Nigeria. We are so passionate about good governance in our state and local communities.

“We have learnt our lessons. We will support the political party that supported our principal on the 25th of February. We will mobilize all Obi-Datti structures in the 4, 354 polling units to vote for YPP in the March 11 governorship election.

“It must be noted that the Obi-Datti movement in Akwa Ibom State worked extremely hard to ensure that our principal, Peter Obi, won the February 25th presidential election in the state, but those massive LP votes and results which humbled major political parties in the state were manipulated at the various INEC ward collation centres in the 31 local government areas by PDP.