- Peter Obi condemns Bisi Akande’s assertion that the #EndSARS protests were orchestrated by the Obidient Movement to thwart Tinubu’s ambitions
- Obi emphasizes that the #EndSARS protests were a grassroots response to police brutality, not a political maneuver against any individual
Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has criticized former Osun State governor, Bisi Akande, over his remarks on the #EndSARS protests.
Akande recently claimed that the 2020 demonstrations were orchestrated by the ‘Obidients’ to prevent Bola Tinubu from becoming Nigeria’s president.
However, Obi and his support group, the Obidient Movement, have rejected this claim, describing it as insensitive to the memory of #EndSARS victims and an attempt to rewrite history.
Speaking to Punch, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, dismissed Akande’s statement as misleading and divisive.
“The allegations are misleading and divisive,” Ibrahim stated. “It is unfortunate that Akande would suggest the Obidient Movement was behind the #EndSARS protests. Even more astonishing is his claim that the protests were orchestrated to prevent a particular individual from becoming president.”
Obi emphasized that the Obidient Movement is a grassroots initiative driven by passionate Nigerians committed to a better future. He clarified that the movement transcends partisan politics, focusing on good governance, accountability, and inclusive development.
“The #EndSARS protests were a spontaneous response to widespread police brutality, corruption, and economic inequality,” Obi explained. “It was a testament to the resilience of Nigerian youths demanding a more just and equitable society. Conflating this movement with political ambitions is inaccurate and unfair to those genuinely working for positive change.”
He urged Akande to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims that could further divide the country.
Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Tanko Yunusa, dismissed Akande’s comments as baseless and revisionist.
“His false narrative is an insult to the memory of young Nigerians who lost their lives fighting against police brutality,” Yunusa stated. “This is a desperate attempt to rewrite history and shift blame for the government’s failures.”
Yunusa reiterated that #EndSARS was a decentralized, youth-led movement calling for an end to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and systemic oppression. “It had nothing to do with partisan politics or any single individual’s presidential ambition,” he added.
Rather than engaging in historical distortion, Yunusa urged Akande and his associates to focus on addressing real issues like economic hardship, insecurity, and unemployment.
The #EndSARS protests began as a movement to disband the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) but later evolved into a broader demand for good governance.
The protests led to clashes between demonstrators and security forces, particularly in Lagos, where soldiers allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters at the Lekki Tollgate.
In a recent podcast by broadcaster Edmund Obilo, Akande alleged that the #EndSARS protests were a calculated attempt to derail Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
“The Obidients were behind #EndSARS. It was manufactured in America and brought in to stop him (Tinubu),” Akande claimed. “The movement was well planned and funded with foreign donations.”
His remarks have sparked widespread backlash, with many dismissing them as an attempt to distort the true essence of the protests.
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