Political commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has vowed to dismantle the Obidient movement, citing personal threats and a fallout with Peter Obi as key reasons for his decision.
Speaking on Breakfast Central on Thursday, Omokri denied claims that his opposition to Obi and his supporters was driven by personal grievances. Instead, he highlighted his past role in Obi’s political rise and his eventual disillusionment.
“I took a vow to destroy that movement because Peter Obi was a project of mine,” Omokri stated, recalling his role in shaping Obi’s national prominence.
According to him, he played a key role, alongside Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and a former president, in securing Obi’s position as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election.
“I was responsible for Peter Obi becoming the running mate to Waziri Atiku Abubakar in 2019. I’ve said this publicly. I’ve got the documents. I’m a meticulous record keeper,” he claimed.
While Obi’s unexpected exit from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) without consulting his backers created tensions, Omokri said the real turning point was the behavior of Obi’s supporters.
“Peter Obi’s movement, Obidients, started attacking me, threatening me, insulting me. That was OK. But then they moved from myself to my family. I just had a daughter at that time. There were multiple death threats,” he alleged, adding that the threats escalated into real-life encounters.
“They came to my house in the United Kingdom. They trailed my wife and me when we were jogging. They found out my jogging route and pursued me, threatening me,” he further alleged.
Omokri said he reached out to Obi, expecting him to intervene. However, he claimed the former Labour Party presidential candidate refused to denounce a specific individual linked to the threats.
Feeling abandoned, Omokri made a firm decision, declaring, “I had to deploy whatever political machinery I have to destroy that movement.
