Ade

Loyalty Is Not Blindness: Serah Ibrahim, Peter Obi and the Cost of Political Hypocrisy @TheSerahIbrahim is an intelligent woman with a professional life and identity beyond politics. She has her own experience, opinions and convictions. That is why I find it disappointing when some people seem more interested in questioning her loyalty than engaging with the issues she raises. Supporting Peter Obi should not mean surrendering your ability to think independently. Nobody should have to agree with every position taken by a political movement just to prove they belong. The ethnic colouration One thing that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore is the ethnic colouration within parts of the Obidient movement. Let me be clear: there is absolutely nothing wrong with Igbos supporting Peter Obi. They have every right to support someone they believe in, just like every other Nigerian. The problem begins when political support starts looking like an ethnic obligation, and criticism of Obi is interpreted as an attack on the Igbo people. A movement seeking national leadership must be bigger than one ethnic group. Nigeria's problems are too serious for us to keep reducing political conversations to tribal loyalty. If everybody must agree with you before they can belong, then you are not building a movement; you are building an echo chamber. And Nigeria get enough of those already. The double standard What bothers me even more is the selective outrage. Some people who are quick to condemn anyone who questions Obi appear willing to overlook the past or controversies of individuals simply because those individuals are now on their side. Take the appointment of retired Major General John Enenche, the former military spokesperson who attracted criticism for his comments about footage from the #EndSARS protests. He has now been appointed Director of Security and Intelligence on the NDC campaign committee. That appointment raises a fair question: are the standards of accountability we demand from political opponents also applied to people within our own political camp? Or does political alignment suddenly make uncomfortable questions disappear? You cannot demand accountability from those in power while exempting your own people from the same standards. Apparently, some people's political baggage can travel free of charge once they join the right camp. My view of Peter Obi I understand that Serah may still hold Peter Obi in high regard and may consider him the best available option among the leading political contenders. That is her opinion, and she is entitled to it. My own position is different. I do not believe Obi is the best person to lead Nigeria. My concern is his leadership judgment, particularly the choices he makes about the people around him, the quality of counsel he receives, and his ability to recognise and retain competent people. Leadership is not just about good intentions or presenting yourself as an alternative to the established political class. It is also about judgment, the people you trust, the advice you accept and the team you build. These are areas where I have serious reservations about Obi. And no, holding that opinion does not mean I support Tinubu or any other political alternative. It simply means I am not prepared to suspend my judgment because a politician has a passionate following. Serah owes nobody blind loyalty Perhaps what we should be asking is why people who once contributed to a political project now feel increasingly uncomfortable speaking freely about it. A movement should welcome honest conversations, not treat every disagreement as betrayal. Serah does not owe anybody blind loyalty. Neither should she have to pretend everything is well just to prove that she once believed in Obi's political project. 1/2

Peter Obi and his quest. Have a read. teapawt.org/ade4facts/status/21170…

During the 2020 EndSARS proceedings, Obi's lawyer asked the panel to dismiss the petition, arguing that the matter was already before the courts and that the panel lacked jurisdiction. Let me be fair: asking a panel to dismiss a petition is not proof that Obi personally ordered torture or committed a crime. But the allegations were serious enough to deserve proper scrutiny. When a former governor is mentioned in a petition involving alleged police brutality and prolonged detention, Nigerians have every right to ask questions. A leader's record is not measured only by roads, schools and financial statements. It is also measured by how power is exercised and how ordinary citizens are treated. 3. Transparency, Offshore Assets and Questions About Integrity The questions about transparency cannot simply disappear either. The Pandora Papers investigation raised questions about Obi's offshore business interests, including his connection to NEXT International (UK) Limited and whether certain interests and accounts were properly declared while he was governor. Obi denied wrongdoing and maintained that he had not violated the law. And to be clear, having an offshore company is not automatically evidence of corruption. Being named in an investigation is not the same as being convicted. However, questions about asset declaration and compliance with the rules for public officers are legitimate. In October 2026, Premium Times reported that the Code of Conduct Bureau had opened investigations into Obi and other public figures over offshore assets and business interests. That is an investigation, not a finding of guilt. But if a politician campaigns on integrity, transparency should not become an uncomfortable subject whenever questions are raised. Nobody should be above scrutiny, not even the politician whose supporters believe he is different from everybody else. 4. Economic Policies: Criticism Is Not the Same as Providing Solutions On the economy, I want to hear more than criticism. Obi has criticised the way the Tinubu administration removed fuel subsidy and managed the exchange rate. Some of his criticisms deserve attention. Removing subsidy without adequate planning and support for ordinary Nigerians has serious consequences. But what would Obi actually have done? In October 2023, he said he would have tackled corruption and excesses in the subsidy system, reduced what he described as inflated consumption, consulted stakeholders and arranged a more orderly removal. He also criticised the floating of the naira without adequate foreign-exchange supply. He said he would have devalued the currency, borrowed to stabilise it temporarily and worked to increase exports and foreign-exchange earnings. Those are positions Nigerians can debate. But I want the details. How much would he borrow? For how long? Which sectors would receive the money? How would he increase exports? How would he prevent the same corruption he says exists in the system? And, perhaps most importantly, how would ordinary Nigerians survive the transition? It is easy to say a policy was badly implemented. The real test is whether you have a workable alternative and whether you can explain its cost and consequences honestly. We have had enough politicians who can identify a problem after it has happened. We need people who can plan, execute and take responsibility for the outcome. 5. Political Consistency, Party Hopping and the Ability to Build a Team Then there is the question of political leadership. Obi has moved from APGA to PDP, then Labour Party, later ADC, and in May 2026 joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). There may be explanations for each move, and Nigerian party politics is hardly a shining example of ideological consistency. Still, it raises a question about political organisation and the ability to build a lasting team.

Peter Obi deserves scrutiny like every other politician. The Obidient movement should be no different from the kind of political culture it claims to oppose. If its supporters cannot tolerate honest criticism from within, then perhaps the problem is bigger than Serah Ibrahim. Political loyalty should never come at the expense of independent thinking. 2/2

One thing going for this lady is that her life doesn’t revolve around the e-thugs. She has a life of her own and a prosperous career. I just wish she were more expressive. My guess is that the hypocrisy surrounding Obi is the reason she’s keeping her distance from the cult.