The Obidient Movement has accused former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, of avoiding critical questions about President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity and the economy by resorting to what it described as ethnic politics and fear-based rhetoric.
In a statement issued on Monday, the movement faulted Sheriff’s remarks during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, saying he failed to respond directly to concerns over worsening insecurity, rising inflation and economic hardship, opting instead to revive discussions about the Nigerian Civil War and launch attacks on Peter Obi.
According to the group, the interview reflected what it described as the inability of supporters of the Tinubu administration to defend the government’s performance on governance, forcing them to rely on ethnic narratives and political diversion.
“It is hunger. It is insecurity. It is economic collapse,” the movement said, insisting that Nigerians are more concerned about the rising cost of living and deteriorating security than ethnic or historical divisions.
The movement also rejected Sheriff’s claim that Obi would be unable to secure Northern votes in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that such assertions diminish the independence of Northern voters by reducing electoral choices to ethnic considerations.
Defending Obi’s credentials, the group said the former Anambra State governor has consistently championed national unity through economic inclusion, investments across different parts of the country and advocacy for unlocking Northern Nigeria’s agricultural potential.
It further maintained that Obi’s position on Nigeria’s unity has remained consistent, stressing that he has repeatedly advocated justice, dialogue and inclusion as the foundation for addressing insecurity and strengthening national cohesion.
In one of its strongest criticisms, the movement questioned Sheriff’s moral standing to lecture Nigerians on patriotism, citing longstanding allegations linking him to the early emergence of Boko Haram—allegations the former governor has consistently denied.
The group also alleged that political actors benefiting from prolonged insecurity were uncomfortable with Obi’s governance and economic reform proposals, claiming such reforms would dismantle what it described as an “industry of insecurity.”
It concluded that attempts to shift public discourse toward ethnicity and historical grievances would not distract Nigerians from demanding solutions to inflation, hunger, unemployment and persistent insecurity.
Sheriff, during his appearance on Politics Today, dismissed Obi’s prospects in the 2027 presidential election, insisting the former Labour Party presidential candidate would struggle to attract support across Northern Nigeria. He also defended Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, arguing that the country’s security challenges predated the current administration and that the President should be assessed based on measures his government has taken to address them.