The Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration (DMI), led by Marcel Ngogbehei, a pioneer organiser of the Obidient Movement, has formed an alliance with the Tinubu Must Stay (TMS) Movement ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The partnership was announced following a meeting in London between Ngogbehei and Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, identified by DMI as the founder of TMS and a member of President Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Council.
According to a statement from DMI, its National Executive Committee approved the alliance at an emergency meeting held on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The TMS Board also endorsed the agreement.
The move signals a shift in DMI’s political engagement. The organisation previously participated in grassroots mobilisation for Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 general elections. Ngogbehei also served as chairman of the Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) and worked with the Labour Party during the period.
DMI said the latest alliance followed a national strategy session held on September 18, where its members authorised the leadership to explore new political and institutional partnerships amid the prolonged crisis within the Labour Party.
Explaining the decision, the organisation said it wanted political debates to go beyond calls for Tinubu to leave office, insisting that critics of the administration should also present clear alternatives, explain how their proposals would be funded and outline how they would address the country’s challenges.
“If Tinubu must go, what exactly is the alternative?” DMI asked.
The organisation added that both the government and opposition should be held accountable, stating: “Government must account for its record. The opposition must account for its alternatives. Nigerians deserve both.”
During the London meeting, Ngogbehei and Abdullahi reportedly discussed the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, diaspora investment, infrastructure development and human capital programmes. These included the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL), technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
In a statement after the meeting, Ngogbehei thanked Abdullahi for the engagement, saying the discussions provided insights into the administration’s policy direction and development agenda.
DMI also announced plans to introduce a permanent civic-accountability programme to evaluate political promises, proposed policies, funding plans and their effects on citizens. The organisation said the initiative would continue beyond the 2027 elections.
The group claimed to have more than 500 coordinators across states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside over 11,000 local government area coordinators nationwide.
Ngogbehei said the alliance would mark a new phase in the organisation’s involvement in national development, public policy and citizen participation.
“Our alliance with the Tinubu Must Stay Movement is about encouraging that conversation. Opposition is a democratic right, but credible alternatives matter,” he said.
DMI said both organisations would begin coordinating public engagement and policy-related activities in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
