Commentator alleges Obi's movement showed ingratitude to key ally Balami
Pastor Ambassador Aswald Amaechi Ikaegbu (Oswald), a social commentator and former member of Labour Party's 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, has alleged that former LP candidate Peter Obi lost a key ally, aviation expert Isaac Balami, due to a culture of ingratitude within the Obidient movement. Oswald describes Balami's experience as one of the "most underreported tragedies" of the campaign.
According to the commentary, Balami, who served as National Deputy Campaign Manager, allegedly deployed significant personal and corporate resources through his company, 7 Star Global Hangar, to sustain Obi's campaign. Alleged contributions include procuring five Toyota Prado Land Cruisers and two additional jeeps, fueling and maintaining them across all 36 states and the FCT without reimbursement, covering flight costs for the candidate, team, and security, and providing security support in volatile northern regions. Oswald further claims Balami sold aviation assets and committed his life savings to support the campaign, while also losing high-level patronage linked to the Buhari administration due to his alignment with Obi.
Oswald contrasts this with President Bola Tinubu's reputed practice of rewarding loyalty, arguing Obi failed to acknowledge key contributors post-election. He also references late Doyin Okupe as another allegedly abandoned figure. The commentator maintains Balami's departure was a justified act of self-worth, not betrayal, and criticizes Obidient supporters attacking Balami despite many lacking campaign ground experience. Oswald urges political leaders to prioritize recognition of loyal supporters to build sustainable movements with institutional memory.
The commentary presents a systemic critique of political movement sustainability versus personality-driven campaigns. It raises questions about whether loyalty and sacrifice are institutionalized or transactional in modern Nigerian politics, and what that means for long-term opposition cohesion.