LP renames ‘Obidient directorate’ — hours after pushback from Peter Obi

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) says it has renamed the “Obidient directorate” to the directorate of mobilisation and integration.

The “Obidient movement” originated in 2022 following the huge social media popularity of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the LP.

On May 30, the LP announced the appointment of Marcel Ngogbehei as the leader of the ”Obidient movement” and seven other officials to administer the affairs of its newly created directorate.

The appointment came two weeks after the Julius Abure-led national working committee announced the creation of a separate directorate dedicated to the affairs of the “Obidient movement” at a press conference.

On Wednesday, Obi said the movement is not a directorate of any political party.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the Labour Party, said the party decided to rename the directorate following criticisms from some stakeholders.

“Following the controversies arising from the creation of the Directorate of OBIDIENT Affairs, in the party, the Directorate is hereby renamed the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration,” the statement reads.

The LP national publicity secretary added that the inauguration of the directorate will take place on June 8 at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

“The inauguration will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the party’s National Secretariat, Utako, Abuja, by 10 a.m. Party members and the general public should take note.”