The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has criticised supporters of Peter Obi, describing them as “monsters” and warning that they could undermine his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Her comments followed backlash to a tweet in which she shared her visit to Silicon Valley, California, where she met Nigerian professionals and took a ride in a driverless car. In the post, she praised the experience and thanked Kunle Adeyemo for the tour.
The post triggered angry reactions from some users who accused her of hypocrisy and questioned her political alignment, with some comments becoming abusive.
One user wrote: “You went to where the system is working and enjoy a ride in a driverless car, but you will come home and support a dead man as president because he’s your tribal man,” while another said: “You enjoy all these abroad and join hands to destroy Nigeria.”
Responding to the criticisms, Dabiri-Erewa accused Obi of failing to control his supporters popularly known as Obi-dients, insisting their conduct could damage his political future ahead of the 2027 elections.
“@PeterObi has actually raised monsters. By God’s grace @officialABAT will win the 2027 elections. When it’s the turn of the south east and who knows, if the lot falls on him, I hope he knows that these obingos/ Obi-dients will ironically be his downfall. He needs to call them to order,” she wrote.
The NiDCOM chairman doubled down on her position in subsequent posts, insisting that the behaviour of Obi’s supporters could ultimately harm his political prospects if not addressed.
“Let the obingo/ obi -dient madness continue to be on display. They will be alright . Someday,” she wrote.
“They will eventually be Peter Obi’s downfall if he does not call them to order,” she added in response to another user’s comment.
Dabiri-Erewa also defended her decision to engage critics online, rejecting the notion that her role as a public official should prevent her from responding to attacks.