In an interview with Arise News From 4:30, Donu Kogbara expressed her disenchantment with the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom she once supported. She admitted to no longer aligning with the “Obidient” movement, citing Obi’s lack of visible political aggression and a failure to act as a formidable opposition voice.
For Kogbara, this shortfall is particularly disappointing given the mounting challenges in Nigeria, including inflation, hunger, and economic instability, which she feels deserve strong and relentless criticism from opposition figures like Obi.
Kogbara acknowledged one positive aspect of President Bola Tinubu’s administration—the reduction in herdsmen-related violence, an issue that had previously plagued parts of the country. She commended Tinubu for keeping herdsmen “at bay,” but emphasized that this solitary achievement does little to counterbalance the numerous shortcomings of his government. From bypassing due process in awarding contracts to the worsening economic climate, Kogbara underscored the urgency of holding the government accountable, a task she believes the opposition has failed to undertake effectively.
At the core of Kogbara’s frustration is Peter Obi’s perceived silence and lack of impactful criticism. Despite the government’s numerous failings, she feels that Obi’s response has been tepid and devoid of the kind of “seriously punchy” commentary expected from a leading opposition figure. For someone once hailed as a beacon of change, his current performance, in her view, has been lackluster and disappointing.
“I’m not an Obidient anymore, to be honest with you, because he’s such a disappointment. I mean there’s no aggression, the government is lousy and I mean the only good thing that I think Tinubu has done is keep herdsmen at bay because I’ve noticed there haven’t been any herdsmen shenanigans since Tinubu came in. So I congratulate him for that, but it’s kind of like there’s so many things this Government is doing wrong. Contracts being awarded without due process, economic collapse, rampaging inflation, widespread hunger. You never hear anything seriously punchy from Peter.” She said