Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, says he is pained that his supporters (Obidients) continue to suffer physical attacks, hateful trolls and loss of rights and privileges from unexpected places.

Mr Obi expressed his grief via tweets while wishing Christians and Muslims supporters happy Easter and Ramandan respectively.

“Datti and I are painfully mindful that for the mere reason of being OBIdient, most of you have suffered vituperations, physical attacks, loss of rights and privileges, hateful trolls, indignities and vexatious fighting words, even from some of those we long regarded as civic leaders and conscience of our nation,” Mr Obi said.

Mr Obi’s statement comes days after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka derided his supporters as intolerant “fascists.”

Mr Soyinka condemned Datti Baba-Ahmed for saying President Muhammadu Buhari must not swear in President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Obidients have also criticised Mr Soyinka back, accusing him of taking side with Mr Tinubu, his kinsman and longtime friend.

Mr Obi, however, enjoined his supporters, “Please bear such attacks as the sacrifices that we are all required to make in order to create a New Nigeria, where justice, equity, fairness, love and prosperity shall reign.”

He added, “the ongoing unfortunate orchestrated efforts to demarket and delegitimize the OBIdient Movement will fail. We are fully structured and have remained focused and steadfast in addressing the ills in our nation; while underpinning the supremacy of our Constitution and imperatives of the rule of law. Do not relent; and do not be lured into unnecessary conflicts.”