Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Nigeria’s Labour Party (LP) met with Femi Kuti, Afrobeat maestro in Lagos on Wednesday. The meeting came in the midst of allegations that Obi’s supporters threatened to burn down Kuti’s New Afrika Shrine.
Obi, visited Kuti in the company of Charly Boy, veteran’s singer and political activist. The former Anambra governor explained that his visit was inspired by Kuti’s allegations that his army of supporters, widely referred to “Obidients” were planning to attack the Ikeja, Lagos based open air entertainment centre.
He assured the award winning artiste and son of the late Afrobeat creator, Fela Anikulapo Kuti that the “Obidient movement” will avoid personality attack in its campaign and focus on issues.
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The Afrobeat legend said the Kuti family had gone through a lot in the hands of various Nigerian governments. He added that he has never supported any political party or candidate. In response, Obi assured that his ‘Obidient Movement’ will focus its campaign on issues rather than personality attacks.
Speaking in a video that went viral shortly after the visit where Made Kuti, Femi’s musician son was also present, Peter Obi said: “I saw what he tweeted and I said, no. That’s not the future of the society we want to build. We need a campaign based on issues that affect Nigeria. That’s what I [already told] everybody to do,” Obi said in a now viral video.
Kuti who has refused to endorse any of the political aspirants in Nigeria’s upcoming general elections recently released a video where he spoke about why could not describe him as obedient to any politician at this stage of his life. He thereafter quoted as referring to the politician’s supporters as “zombies.” He has since clarified that his words were taken out of context.