Following widespread criticism of the planned birthday rally for Peter Obi’s 64th birthday, the Obidient Movement has announced the suspension of its public fundraising efforts for the celebration.
The movement had earlier announced its plan for a nationwide rally to celebrate Obi’s birthday on July 19.
To fund the rally activities, the group had initially created four dedicated bank accounts jointly managed by Serah Ibrahim, Ezeokoli Blessing, and John Alor.
However, the announcement sparked concerns about accountability as many questioned the necessity of the monetary aspect of the rally activity.
Consequently, the backlash prompted the movement to suspend the fundraising.
In a statement on Tuesday, the group acknowledged concerns raised by Nigerians about account details linked to the event.
In the statement signed by National Coordinator Dr Yunusa Tanko, Director of Mobilisation, Morris Monye, and Director of Strategic Communications and Media, Nana Kazaure, the group admitted that releasing account details without ‘adequate context’ may have created confusion.
“We have received feedback and concerns regarding the recent announcement of donation accounts of the July 19 rally as a birthday celebration for H.E Peter Obi.
“We acknowledge that the release of donation account details and communication without adequate context may have created confusion and raised concerns.
“We take full responsibility for that and we sincerely apologise too,” the statement partly read.
Announcing the suspension of the donation, the group, urged Obi’s supporters to “allocate your resources and lend a helping hand to those in need,” adding that “The July 19th National Birthday Rally is a day of national reflection, civic action, and a recommitment to the values that brought us together as a movement.”
The rally organisers noted that Obi’s values inspired them, stressing that the event was not merely a celebration of an individual.
“While H.E Peter Obi’s integrity and values have inspired this movement, the rally is not necessarily about celebrating an individual alone, it is also about confronting our national crisis with the values H.E Peter Obi represents — which are discipline, empathy, accountability, and a deep commitment to the common good,” the movement said.
