Obedient Movement Faction Expels Peter Obi and Yunusa Tanko, Cuts Ties with Labour Party

A faction claiming to be the original founders of the Obidient Movement has expelled former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and his ally Yunusa Tanko, announcing a full rebrand of the group ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The announcement was made on Thursday, May 7, 2026, during a press briefing in Abuja by Dr. Barry Avotu Johnson, who introduced himself as the International Coordinator of the newly rebranded #OBEDIENT Movement. The group said it had dissolved the “unauthorised leadership structure that emerged after the 2023 elections” and removed “all other persons appointed” under it.

Johnson accused Obi and Tanko of turning the movement into a platform for “political prostitution” and using it for “personal advantage and private gains.” He said the rebranding from #Obidient to #OBEDIENT was necessary to disengage the organisation from Obi and his loyalists.

“Today, we have come to inform the world that the original founders and custodians of the true Obedient Movement Worldwide have resolved to reclaim the movement and return it to the people,” Johnson said. “This movement belongs to the people. It belongs to the streets. It belongs to the youths. It belongs to the workers. It belongs to every Nigerian who believes that this country must move forward.”

He added that the post-2023 leadership no longer represented the movement’s original vision. “The original ideals of the movement are no longer adequately represented by the persons who took over its leadership after the elections,” he said.

The faction confirmed it has severed all ties with the Labour Party and will now operate independently. Johnson clarified that the rebranded movement has not yet adopted any presidential candidate for 2027. “We have not adopted a presidential candidate for 2027 yet. However, we are focused on restructuring the movement and building a sustainable vision for the future,” he stated.

Nasir Baba was announced as the Secretary of the rebranded movement, with other leadership positions expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks. The group also called on the federal government to guarantee fairness in elections and strengthen democratic freedoms.

Attempts to reach Obi and Tanko for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Tanko, however, dismissed the expulsion in separate comments, describing those behind it as “Abure’s boys” and questioning how “the owner of the Movement” could be sacked. “It’s false. It’s Abure’s boys circulating that nonsense. How can that even happen? How can they sack the owner of the Movement. Isn’t that funny?” Tanko said.

The development marks a major fracture within one of Nigeria’s most recognisable political support movements since the 2023 elections.