A coordinated nationwide mobilisation by the Village Boys Movement (VBM) has intensified pressure on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to cede its 2027 presidential ticket to Peter Obi, following what organisers described as a “2 Million Man March and ADC Registration Drive” held simultaneously across multiple states.

The demonstration, whichh took place on Saturday, spanned Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Plateau, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi and Edo states, underscoring what the group claims Is a growing, nationwide grassroots consensus in favour of Obi’s candidacy ahead of the next general elections.

In a statement issued after the exercise, the Village Headmaster of the movement, Tochukwu Ezeoke, said the mobilisation was deliberately structured to serve a dual purpose: to visibly demonstrate public support for Obi and to expand the membership base of the ADC through mass registration.

According to Ezeoke, the initiative forms part of a broader political strategy aimed at translating widespread public sentiment into an organised and measurable electoral force.

“This is not just a march; it is a coordinated national effort to channel the will of the people into a structured political platform,” he said, noting that the phased rollout of activities across states was designed to sustain engagement and build momentum in the weeks ahead.

The latest development places the ADC leadership under increasing pressure to take a definitive position on its presidential ticket, as advocacy groups and sections of the electorate begin to openly canvass for Obi’s adoption as the party’s standard-bearer.

VBM argued that the demand for credible leadership in Nigeria has reached a critical threshold, with citizens becoming more deliberate in shaping the country’s political direction.

It maintained that the ADC must align with what it described as the “popular will” by granting Obi its presidential ticket without delay.

The group’s stance also reflects broader political undercurrents ahead of 2027, including renewed conversations around power rotation and the growing calls for a Southern presidency.

VBM pointed to ongoing engagements within major political blocs such as the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party, as well as regional stakeholders, suggesting that momentum is building around the zoning debate.

Saturday’s mobilisation also signals an emerging trend in Nigeria’s political landscape, where grassroots movements are increasingly seeking to influence party structures and candidate selection processes, traditionally dominated by party elites.

By combining street-level demonstrations with a targeted party registration drive, VBM appears to be adopting a more strategic approach, one that not only amplifies public sentiment but also seeks to embed that support within a formal political platform capable of contesting power.

The group described the march as the beginning of a “coordinated national awakening,” aimed at mobilising Nigerians across both rural and urban communities to drive what it termed a “decisive political shift” in 2027.

It Insisted that the era of “recycled leadership” must give way to a new order, warning that political parties risk losing relevance if they fail to respond to the evolving expectations of the electorate. (THISDAY, excluding headline)

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