Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has alleged that a significant portion of former Presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s fans, referred to as ‘Obidients’, are not actual human followers but rather bot accounts.
It was learnt that Blawa said this in an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Thursday when he was asked about the frequent reactions of the presidency to Peter Obi and his supporters.
There are very few supporters of Peter Obi on the street, said Tinubu’s aide.
“When we keep quiet, Peter Obi and his Obidients, from morning till the next morning, are talking about Asiwaju government… You say that we are reacting to them when we respond to them.
“Peter Obi has a followership they call the Obidients, that are largely, they consist of people that are not human beings, we call bot account. If you know social media and the manipulation of algorithm very well, you will say that.
“But the real Obidients that are human beings, when you see them on the street, they are not very many.
The former Governor of Anambra State, Bwala said, got the over 6.1 million votes he recorded in the 2023 presidential election largely through religious rhetoric.
He said, “He used religious rhetoric back then. What he introduced in 2023 will be a long time before it leaves us as a country, the toxicity.”
Bwala said the religious dimension was amplified by the All Progressives Congress (APC) fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket, making it very easy to whip up support at the time.
He said many religious leaders who supported Peter Obi during the election no longer support him.
He said, “The same religious leaders that followed him at that time, right now, they don’t feel his energy anymore. Why? “Because at that time it was very easy to whoop up because on the other hand, there is a Muslim ticket.”
Bwala also took a dig at Peter Obi’s leadership and man-management skills, saying that some of his close associates in his days as governor of Anambra State have fallen out with him since.
He added, “Have you seen any of Peter Obi’s former commissioners, aides or administrative assistants that are still with him as he governed as governor in Anambra till today? He has no people skills.
“He had Valentine Ozigbo in 2019, he has Kennedy Okonkwo, he has all the other people. “Now, Aisha, you are the person left now, after now she will come.”
