Obidient Movement Member Squanders N1m Campaign Fund on Betting, Defects to APC in Edo

A member of Peter Obi’s Obidient Movement in Edo State has been accused of squandering N1 million in campaign funds on sports betting. The revelation was made by Morris Monye, the movement’s director of mobilisation, in a post on X on Thursday.

Monye explained that the funds, meant for mobilisation activities in Edo, were entrusted to the member because the Obidient Movement had no official bank account. “We raised almost 1 million naira for mobilisation in Edo state which the Obidient leadership gave to one of the members to help hold for the Edo state Obidient chapter as there is no official account,” he wrote.

Trouble began when the group requested the funds for campaign activities. According to Monye, the member repeatedly failed to produce the money, offering various excuses. When confronted, the leadership involved the police, leading to the member’s confession that the money had been staked on a Chelsea vs PSG match.

Monye added that after being compelled to refund the funds, the individual defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oredo Local Government’s Ward 7.

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, drew strong grassroots support and significant financial backing from young Nigerians during the 2023 presidential election. However, internal disputes over fund mismanagement have continued to plague both the Labour Party faction aligned with him and the broader Obidient Movement since the election.