Claim:  Minister for Work, Engr David Umahi, claimed during a rally that there is no single Obidient supporter in Ebonyi State.

Verdict: False. Evidence from credible sources and on-ground reports confirms that the Obidient movement still has a presence in Ebonyi State.

Full Text 

The Minister for Work, David Umahi, on 27th September 2025, speaking at the Ohanivo 2025 New Yam Festival in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Umahi said President Tinubu had given the region a sense of belonging, which will not be forgotten at the polls. In the speech to the people he claimed that the State has no single Obidient supporters, stating that they are no more carried away by the 2023 general election outcome in the south east.

In his words:

“There is no single Obidient supporter In Ebonyi State again, we will not be deceived again because the last election was a mistake. We will support Tinubu in 2027,” Umahi declared. We are not OBIdient people. We have been marginalised for too long, and that era is over. President Bola Tinubu is the one who has given us recognition. There is no OBIdient person in Ebonyi,” he said.

Obedient supporters  is a quasi-political movement that emerged during the 2023 election, driven by young Nigerians and supporters of Peter Obi who seek to promote positive change and good governance in the country.

Hence, statements of this nature, made by a sitting government minister, have significant weight and may influence public opinion ahead of the 2027 elections. NDRFactcheck helps to clarify if there is still the presence of the Obidient movement in Ebonyi.

Screenshot from the video

Verification

Findings from our research revealed that in July 2025, The Obidient Movement in Ebonyi State publicly dismissed assertions that its structure had been taken over or eliminated. In a statement made available by its leaders such as Comrade Splendour Oko Eze and Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Eze issued a joint statement reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the Labour Party and insisting that claims of defections were “false, misleading, and politically motivated. See other publications here and here.

We placed a telephone call to the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Yinusa Tanko, who debunked the claim. He stated that the movement has fully committed members  not just supporters  across all senatorial districts of the state, and they remain actively engaged.

Conclusion

Therefore , evidence from credible sources and on ground reports confirm that the Obidient movement still has a presence in Ebonyi State.

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