“Peter Obi has a followership called the Obidients that are largely consisted of people that are not human beings — we call them bot accounts” — Daniel Bwala

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has questioned the nature of the online support base of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, alleging that a significant portion of the “Obidient” movement on social media is made up of automated accounts rather than real users.

Bwala made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Wednesday, May 7, where he also addressed ongoing political exchanges between supporters of the current administration and Obi’s camp.

“When we keep quiet, Peter Obi and his Obidients, from morning till the next morning, are talking about Asiwaju government and the rest. When we respond to them, you say we are reacting to them,” he said.

He went further to claim that the visibility of the movement online does not reflect its real-world size.

“Peter Obi has a followership called the Obidients that are largely consisted of people that are not human beings. We call them bot accounts. If you are very familiar with social media and the manipulation of algorithm, you will see that,” Bwala stated.

He added that while some supporters of the movement are physically present on the streets, their numbers, in his view, are not as large as their online activity may suggest.