A coalition of registered voters in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone has launched the Village Boys Movement (VBM), a grassroots mobilisation platform designed to rally support for a potential Peter Obi/Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
The movement was unveiled on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Enugu, where its promoters outlined plans to deepen grassroots political participation and expand voter registration across rural communities in the region.
National Chairman of the coalition and South-East Village Boys for Obi/Kwankwaso (OK), Chief Maxi Ukwu, said the initiative is aimed at mobilising support for Obi’s presidential ambition while encouraging greater participation in the electoral process.
According to him, the movement is a non-partisan support platform open to all Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation, gender or background.
“We are a coalition of registered voters supporting the presidency of Peter Gregory Obi.
“We are not a political party, but a support movement open to everybody regardless of party affiliation or gender,” Ukwu said.
He disclosed that the group intends to register and mobilise one million new voters ahead of the January 13, 2027 presidential election through intensive voter education and registration campaigns across villages and rural communities.
“The strategy is mobilisation at the grassroots; that is why we call it ‘Village Boys’.
“We want to ensure that people in the villages participate actively in the electoral process,” he stated.
Ukwu, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said the movement would also focus on strengthening election monitoring and voter protection mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
“We believe Peter Obi won the last election; this time, we want to ensure that every vote counts and is protected,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary-General of the movement, Rev. Christopher Obioha, said the initiative was established to complement existing pro-Obi support groups, including the Obidient Movement, ahead of the 2027 polls.
Obioha explained that the organisation was created to deepen grassroots political engagement, particularly in rural communities where voter apathy remains a major concern.
According to him, the movement will prioritise voter registration, polling unit coordination and election monitoring throughout the South-East and beyond.
“We want to ensure that every polling unit has committed individuals who will mobilise voters and also safeguard the electoral process against vote manipulation and violence,” he said.
Obioha, who is also the leader of Njiko Igbo Forum Nigeria, disclosed that the movement had already begun attracting members from within and outside Nigeria.
“Within one week of opening our platform, more than 570 people from different parts of Nigeria and abroad joined the movement.
“We have people joining from Germany, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Lagos, Kaduna and other locations,” he said.
He stressed that the Village Boys Movement was not created to replace existing political support structures but to complement their activities through direct community engagement and voter education.
According to him, the group’s focus will be on physical grassroots mobilisation rather than social media campaigns as preparations intensify for the 2027 presidential election.
