According to a report by Arise News, on Sunday June 14, 2026, Factional convener of the Obidient movement, Ikenna Azomchine, has defended his decision to engage with the presidency, revealing that his grassroots network has held strategic meetings with the City Boys the core youth support base of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, to help quieten youth unrest and advise the current administration.
Azomchine, who labels himself the Obidient General, fired back at online critics who attacked him for crossing the aisle.
He asserted that while his group spent the last campaign season trying to install Peter Obi in Aso Rock, they have spent the last year waiting for strategic direction in vain, and are now shifting their energies toward national stability.
Azomchine dismissed the online backlash from critics within the wider Obidient movement, claiming that those criticizing his strategic shift are detached from the structured, day-to-day coordination of the grassroots base.
“I’m even more happy because most of the Obidients who attacked me as I when I visited uh the son of the president where are those obedient that don’t attend meetings?” Azomchine questioned. “If they’re attend the obedient meetings you will know by now the obedience and a whole lot of us what we are going to do.”
He explained that his faction chose to bypass flashy media announcements, preferring a quiet approach to let Peter Obi realize that the foot soldiers who drove his 2023 momentum are transitioning from partisan opposition to national service.
“So because we don’t want to make noise about it, we just want Peter Obi to understand that we’ve worked for him and now we believe that we can work for Nigeria. We are going to work for Nigeria. We want a peaceful Nigeria.”
In a revealing look at recent political realignments, Azomchine detailed how his network is utilizing its immense organizational capacity previously used to fuel a third-party political movement to collaborate with presidential insiders on policies aimed at mitigating youth grievances across the country.
“Obidients in my network, those that believe in me, a whole lot of them, they are ready to work with the president to advance and the son (Seyi Tinubu) has shown interest in listening,” the factional leader stated. “In fact, we’ve even had meetings with the city boys. How can we improve? How can we quieten the youths? How can we get the youths to understand that president is a listening president with the way we are we talk to his son and so many other groups.”
“We will be able to do the same thing we did in the obedient movement and it’s it’s just going to take time,” he added.
Dismissing claims that his rebellion constitutes a minor or illegitimate faction of the wider movement, Azomchine claimed top figures within the structure are fully aware of his moves, maintaining that his one-year period of patience has officially expired.
“Forget the talks about faction there’s no faction, this is obedient general speaking, all right? Mr. Tanko is aware of my movement. And I’ve waited for one year to say that things are not going well.”
“And at this moment, of course, I have the right to choose my path and my the people that believe in me,” Azomchine concluded firmly
