The Nigerian presidency has identified the followers of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi as the dominant force on social media, referring to them as ‘tigers’ in the digital space. This characterization was made by Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, during an appearance on News Central Television on Monday.
Bwala highlighted how social media has transformed the way citizens interact with public figures, enabling direct and often critical feedback online. He elaborated that the most aggressive and influential social media users are Obi’s supporters, known widely as ‘Obidients.’ According to him, many of these supporters reside abroad where internet access is free, while others in Nigeria are tech-savvy and have carried out significant manipulation of online narratives.
In his remarks, Bwala acknowledged that other political parties also have similar supporters but insisted that the Obidients stand out as the most formidable. He was responding to a question about whether he compensates individuals to defend the government online. Bwala firmly denied paying anyone, stating that if he were inclined to do so, he would have sold his family land to counter the negative agenda against him following the Medi Hassan interview.