Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has denied allegations that the 2020 #EndSARS protests were orchestrated by his supporters, the Obidient Movement, to hinder Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Akande alleged that the protests were a coordinated effort backed by foreign funding to prevent Tinubu from becoming Nigeria’s president.
“The Obidients were behind the #EndSARS. It was manufactured in America and brought in just to stop him (Tinubu). I said the Obidients, I didn’t say Obi. They came from America to do the #EndSARS and later became a movement to form a party. They couldn’t form a party. It was well planned and organised with a lot of money from America,” Akande claimed.
Reacting to the statement, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, dismissed the remarks as a distortion of history, labeling them as misleading and insensitive to the victims of the #EndSARS protests.
“The allegations are not only misleading but also divisive. It is unfortunate that Akande would suggest the Obidient Movement was behind the #EndSARS protests, and even more astonishing that he would imply it was orchestrated to prevent a particular individual from becoming President,” Ibrahim stated.
He further clarified that the Obidient Movement is a grassroots-driven initiative focused on promoting good governance, accountability, and inclusive development.
“The #EndSARS protests were a spontaneous response to widespread police brutality, corruption, and economic inequality. To conflate these two distinct movements is both inaccurate and unfair to Nigerians who are striving for positive change. We urge former Governor Akande to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims that could further divide the nation,” he added.
The #EndSARS protests, which began in October 2020, were a nationwide demonstration against police brutality, particularly the activities of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The protests gained widespread support, culminating in the tragic events of October 20, 2020, at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where security forces allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters.