The Abia State chapter of the Obidient Movement says it plans to stage a one-million man march to mark the 64th birthday of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.

According to a release by one of the Coordinators of Obident Movement in the state, Dr Chibuzor Obiesili, and Head, Media & Publicity Sub-committee, Mr Christian Emmanuel, the procession will hold simultaneously in Umuahia, the state capital; Aba, the commercial nerve centre; Ohafia town, as well as Uzuakoli in Bende.

It said the highlight of the nationwide march scheduled for July 19 at 10 am, will be a visit to motherless babies homes, hospitals and prisons to empathise with the inmates.

The meeting points for the road march in Abia, according to the release, include: Okpara Square, Umuahia, Osisioma Flyover, Aba, Practising School, Uzuakoli, Bende, and Ohafia Central field by the Presbyterian Church, beside Union Bank, Elu Ohafia.

It said fans and well-wishers of Obi, “who cut across different political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, decided to celebrate a selfless man who has relentlessly spoken up for the masses”.

Obi, who took Nigeria’s political landscape by storm in 2023 when he contested in the presidential race, was born on July 19, 1961.

His surprise influence through what is now known as ‘Obi wave’, altered the political calculations in many parts of the country, blowing many prominent political office holders out of power and underdogs into prominence.

The former Anambra State Governor had his secondary education at Christ the King College, Onitsha. He later proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, where he studied Philosophy and graduated in 1984.

He also studied at the prestigious Harvard Business School, Lagos Business School, and the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland, among others.

Obi, who came a very close third in the 2023 presidential poll, according to the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, recently joined the “organic coalition movement”, which has formally adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as its platform for the 2027 general elections.

The former banker and apostle of transforming Nigeria from a ‘consumption economy to a producing economy’, noted that his decision to join the opposition coalition was difficult but necessary to rescue the country from political locusts.

“Obi believes that to dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges and not walls even when those bridges are difficult”, the release said.

Obi had also expressed his willingness to serve for a single tenure and lay the foundation to reset and fix Nigeria if given the opportunity in 2027, expressing his belief in power rotation between the North and South.

The release said the “unsolicited birthday march is meant to encourage Obi that the masses whose cause he has consistently championed, fully identify with all that he represents and stands for”.

It read in part: “The Obidient Movement and the Nigerian masses have decided to celebrate Mr Peter Obi because of his antecedents and persistent advocacy for good governance, probity and accountability.

” His fans from different political, religious and ethnic backgrounds have decided to celebrate a rare patriot and detribalised Nigeria who believes in Nigeria first. He has remained passionate about rebuilding the country and making it globally competitive”.

“Obi continues to hold sway as a shinning light , beacon of hope for the youths and the real face of a New Nigeria”, the release concluded. (Sunday Vanguard)