Supporters of Peter Obi have unveiled a new civic platform, the Village Boys Movement, signaling intensifying grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The initiative was launched in Abuja on Thursday, as political alignments continue to take shape between backers of President Bola Tinubu and opposition figures.
Speaking at the event, convener Maazị Tochukwu Ezeoke, who styles himself the National Village Headmaster, described the platform as a disciplined nationwide movement built on “earned prosperity and service-driven leadership” rather than proximity to power or displays of wealth.
Ezeoke said the movement represents a moral alternative to what he termed the “City Boy culture,” which he criticised as a political tendency that thrives on access to state resources and celebrates affluence without measurable productivity.
“We represent a Nigeria that works before it earns and earns before it spends,” he declared.
He explained that the group is guided by three principles: wealth must follow value, power must follow service, and leadership must follow accountability.
According to him, Nigerian politics has long rewarded closeness to government instead of innovation and enterprise.
“This is not hostility toward cities,” he clarified. “It is a moral contrast. The issue is not geography but the source of wealth, the ethics of leadership, and the structure of accountability.”
While outlining the movement’s political leanings, Ezeoke cited Obi’s tenure as former Anambra State governor as an example of disciplined governance, praising his record on fiscal prudence and transparency. However, he framed the endorsement as value-driven rather than personal.
“He is not a messiah. Nigeria does not require a savior figure. Nigeria requires standards,” he said.
The convener also unveiled the group’s motto — “Unbought. Unafraid. Unstoppable.” — describing it as a symbol of citizen resistance to vote-buying, political intimidation, and patronage politics.
As part of its mobilisation strategy, the movement announced plans for a Two Million Man March across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the coming weeks, stressing that the rallies would be peaceful, lawful, and volunteer-funded.
Beyond rallies, the group said it aims to build grassroots networks “village by village, ward by ward, polling unit by polling unit,” focusing on civic education, budget monitoring, and election integrity.
Ezeoke urged young Nigerians to resist electoral inducement and intimidation.
“If you refuse to sell your vote, you are unbought. If you refuse to be intimidated, you are unafraid. If you organise lawfully and consistently, you are unstoppable.”
He added that the long-term objective of the Village Boys Movement is to reshape Nigeria’s political culture away from patronage and toward productivity, accountability, and ethical governance.
Credit: punchng.com
