"NDC Is Grounded Nationwide" —Ada Ogbu Defends Obidient Movement, Says “People Are the Structure” Ahead of 2027

…Speaks on Grassroots Strength, Peter Obi, Kwankwaso and Her Political Journey

Video; https://youtu.be/Yyhl7siVf3c?si=zwYPoGt1f_CwVf9N

Princess Ada Ogbu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial candidate for Enugu East, has defended the strength of the Obidient movement, insisting that its support base extends far beyond social-media activity and is deeply rooted in communities across Nigeria.

Ogbu made the remarks during an interview with journalist Victor Iroele on Naija Unfiltered, the political interview programme of SYMFONI TV, where she addressed questions about the movement’s performance at the polls, its momentum ahead of 2027 and why Nigerians should consider the NDC presidential ticket.

Responding to the suggestion that the Obidient movement was merely “strong online but weak at the polls,” Ogbu dismissed the characterization, recalling the movement’s visibility during the 2023 general election.

“That's like four people tweeting in a room, right?” she asked rhetorically, before arguing that the movement had demonstrated a wider presence during the 2023 election.

According to her, the Obidient movement should not be measured simply by the people visible on social media.

“The Obedient movement is huge. The Obedient movement is massive. It's not just what you see out there,” she said, stressing that supporters could be found “in the markets, in the hospitals,” construction sites, schools, market squares and village women’s meetings.

Ogbu described the movement as a “massive grassroots embedded movement,” adding that those who reduce it to a small group of social-media users could be surprised by its wider reach.

The Enugu East candidate was also asked whether the support base of the movement had declined from the momentum witnessed during the 2023 presidential election.

“The momentum is just starting, Victor,” she replied.

She maintained that what she described as the underestimation of Peter Obi and his supporters did not concern her, saying that she was comfortable with such assumptions.

Ogbu further claimed that a market survey in Enugu would reveal more NDC supporters than might be apparent from conventional political structures.

“In as much as the other established structures on ground may have their own structures, I think the people are the structure at the end of the day,” she said.

She linked the argument to the 2023 election, when questions about Obi’s political structure became a major feature of public debate. Her comments reflected her view that voters themselves constitute an important component of political organisation.

She also expressed the view that Obi may have received more votes than officially allocated in 2023, but presented that as a belief held by “some of us,” rather than as an established electoral fact.

Asked why Nigerians should trust the NDC with their votes, Ogbu directed attention to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his record in public office.

“Nigerians should trust the man at the top of the ticket of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi,” she said, arguing that Obi had demonstrated what she described as effective management of public resources during his time in office.

She also spoke positively about the NDC presidential ticketd involving Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, describing a vote for the ticket, in her words, as “one vote for two honest men” and “one vote for two men of integrity.”

Ogbu further associated the ticket with educational development, national development and what she described as a commitment to improving Nigeria.

The interview comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general election and follows Ogbu’s emergence as an NDC candidate for Enugu East. Her political profile has also attracted attention because of her previous involvement in the APC before her subsequent alignment with Peter Obi and the NDC. SYMFONI’s interview description says she was an APC foundation member from 2014 to 2024 before moving to the NDC. 

Ogbu has also featured prominently in recent political engagements involving Obi’s supporters in Enugu. In March 2026, she addressed supporters during Obi’s town-hall engagement in Enugu, where she spoke on the need for a “new Nigeria.” 

Beyond her current political contest, Ogbu has built a public profile around women advocacy, inclusion and philanthropy. Her emergence in the 2027 Enugu East senatorial contest has consequently placed her among the political figures attracting attention as parties and candidates position themselves for the approaching general election.

Her latest appearance on Naija Unfiltered further puts her political message in the public domain, particularly her emphasis on grassroots mobilisation, women’s participation, voter engagement and the role she believes ordinary citizens will play in determining the direction of the 2027 elections.

For Ogbu, however, the central message from the interview was clear: the strength of a political movement should not, in her view, be judged only by what is visible online, because “the people are the structure” and voters ultimately determine the outcome through the ballot.

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