- Marcel Ngogbehei's DMI and the Tinubu Must Stay Movement formalised an alliance after a five-hour meeting in London
- Both organisations' leadership bodies ratified the partnership, marking a major shift for the former Obidient Movement organiser
- DMI challenged the opposition to spell out policy alternatives, not just arguments for who should occupy Aso Rock
London - The Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration (DMI), founded by Marcel Ngogbehei, a pioneer organiser of the 2023 Obidient Movement, has sealed a formal alliance with the Tinubu Must Stay (TMS) Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The agreement followed a meeting of more than five hours in London between Ngogbehei and Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, identified by DMI as the driving force behind TMS and a member of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Campaign Council. Both organisations' leadership structures subsequently endorsed the deal. DMI's National Executive Committee approved it at an emergency sitting on Sunday night, October 11, 2026, while the TMS Board gave its own approval shortly after.
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The move represents a sharp turn for DMI, which was reportedly active in grassroots mobilisation for Peter Obi and the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections. Ngogbehei also previously served as chairman of the Coalition for Peter Obi.
2027 Elections: What Drove the Alliance
DMI said the decision followed a national strategy session held on September 18, where members gave the leadership permission to seek new political and institutional partnerships as the Labour Party continued to face internal turmoil.
The group said its core concern was that the "Tinubu Must Go" campaign, in its view, had not generated enough serious debate about policy alternatives. It argued that Nigerians dealing with high food prices, transport costs, unemployment and insecurity deserve more than a change of faces at the top.
"If Tinubu must go, what exactly is the alternative?" DMI asked, adding that the opposition has every right to criticise the president but must also explain how its policies would work and who would pay for them.
"Government must account for its record. The opposition must account for its alternatives. Nigerians deserve both," the group said.
DMI also drew a comparison to the political climate before the 2015 elections, saying the pressure on then-President Goodluck Jonathan showed why scrutinising promises of change matters as much as criticising an incumbent.
During the London talks, Ngogbehei and Abdullahi covered the Tinubu administration's economic reforms, diaspora investment, infrastructure and human capital programmes including 3MTT, DL4ALL, TVET and NELFUND.
Speaking after the meeting, Ngogbehei said:
"Our extensive discussions on Nigeria's economic reforms, diaspora investment opportunities, infrastructure development, and human capital initiatives such as 3MTT, DL4ALL, TVET, and NELFUND provided valuable insights into the administration's policy direction."
What Comes Next for DMI
Beyond the political alliance, DMI announced plans for a standing civic-accountability programme to assess political promises, proposed policies, funding plans and their impact on citizens. The group said the programme would run beyond the 2027 election cycle.
DMI also reported a network of more than 500 state and FCT coordinators alongside over 11,000 local government area coordinators across Nigeria.
"Our alliance with the Tinubu Must Stay Movement is about encouraging that conversation. Opposition is a democratic right, but credible alternatives matter," Ngogbehei said.
Ex-Obi Supporters Switch to Tinubu's Camp
In a related development, a group of former members of Peter Obi's 2023 Presidential Campaign Council has formed a new platform called Batified Obidients, pledging to campaign for President Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
The group announced its formation in a statement signed on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by its national coordinator, Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, alongside six regional coordinators covering all geopolitical zones: Bala Abubakar for the North-West, Ekana Simeon Lamorde for the North-East, Daniel Gambo for the North-Central, Banwo Mayowa for the South-West, Izunna Desmond for the South-South, and Odira Alexander for the South-East.
Source: Legit.ng