An Obidient support group has called on Nigerians living abroad to support eligible voters in the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging members of the diaspora to help at least 10 people participate in the electoral process.
The appeal was made through the Obidient Connect platform and shared on social media by Justice Crack, an activist and supporter of Peter Obi. The initiative is part of broader efforts by the Big Tent Coalition to organise supporters at polling-unit level and involve Nigerians in the diaspora in civic and electoral activities.
Obidient Connect was launched in April by the Big Tent Coalition as a digital civic engagement platform designed to connect Nigerians according to polling units within the country and country-based groups in the diaspora. The platform says its objectives include voter education, grassroots mobilisation, volunteer coordination and citizen-led election monitoring.
In its latest appeal, the group acknowledged that Nigerians living outside the country cannot currently vote directly in Nigerian elections. It nevertheless argued that they could contribute by supporting eligible voters at home to participate.
The campaign has prompted discussion about what constitutes legitimate electoral support and how financial assistance should be administered. While supporters describe the initiative as a practical means of helping citizens overcome logistical barriers to participation, critics have questioned the accountability of political donations and raised concerns about whether financial assistance to voters could blur the line between civic support and inducement.
Obidient Connect and its organisers have maintained that the initiative is intended to promote lawful civic participation rather than purchase votes. At its launch, Big Tent founder, Professor Pat Utomi, said the platform would focus on voter education, advocacy, grassroots organisation and vote protection.
The coalition also announced a partnership with Naija We Can, a United States-registered nonprofit organisation, to facilitate donations from Nigerians at home and abroad. The organisers said the arrangement was intended to provide a structured channel for contributions and ensure that funds were directed towards lawful civic activities.
The platform’s coordinator, Charles Odibo, has subsequently described Obidient Connect as an organisational system designed to map supporters to polling units, establish volunteer structures, engage Nigerians in the diaspora and facilitate election-day monitoring.
According to Odibo, diaspora Nigerians could contribute through relatively small recurring donations to support voter education, volunteer training, transportation and other grassroots activities. He has also argued that the platform is intended to address the organisational challenges experienced by political supporters during previous elections.
The latest campaign has, however, generated mixed reactions online. Some supporters have praised the idea of helping voters with practical needs, including transportation and basic assistance while waiting to vote. Others have criticised the initiative, questioning the credibility of those promoting it and seeking greater clarity on how donations would be collected, managed and accounted for.
Concerns over vote buying have also featured prominently in the debate. Nigerian electoral law prohibits the buying and selling of votes, making the distinction between legitimate voter-support activities and inducement particularly significant during an election period.
The controversy highlights a broader challenge facing political movements that rely heavily on online enthusiasm: converting digital support into organised grassroots participation while maintaining transparency and complying with electoral rules.
For Obidient Connect, the stated objective is to build a nationwide network capable of supporting voter education, volunteer coordination and election observation ahead of 2027. The group has continued to encourage Nigerians at home and abroad to register on the platform and participate in its activities.
As preparations for the 2027 elections intensify, the debate over diaspora involvement is likely to remain tied to questions of funding, accountability, electoral law and the appropriate boundaries of voter support.
