Bwala Claims Obi's 2023 Votes Driven by Religion

Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to President Bola Tinubu, asserted that Peter Obi's significant performance in the 2023 presidential election, where he received 6.1 million votes, was largely influenced by religious rhetoric. In an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today, Bwala noted that a considerable portion of Obi's online support, referred to as "Obidients," consisted of bot accounts rather than genuine human followers.

He commented on Obi's tendency to remain silent until responding to criticisms, particularly regarding the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling party, which he argued made it easier to rally support. Bwala also mentioned that religious leaders who initially supported Obi during the election no longer felt energized to do so.

He highlighted Obi's leadership and management skills, referencing former close associates from Obi's tenure as Anambra State governor, and noted the recent political realignment involving Obi and former presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, who left the African Democratic Congress amid internal crises.