Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi has expressed deep grief over the passing of Comrade Benedict Inaede, the Edo State Secretary of the Obidient Movement, describing his death as a painful and irreplaceable loss.

Obi broke the news in a heartfelt post on his X account on Friday, June 19, 2026, calling on the Obidient family and Inaede’s loved ones to find comfort in their shared memories of a man who gave himself entirely to the cause.

“I have just received the sad news of the death of one of our Obidient family members from Edo State, Comrade Benedict Inaede,” Obi wrote. He described the loss as deeply painful, extending condolences on behalf of his own family and the entire Obidient Movement.

“His death is a painful and irreplaceable loss to us all,” he said, while praying for the repose of Inaede’s soul and for strength for all who mourn him.

Inaede had served as the Edo State Secretary of the Obidient Movement, the grassroots political structure that emerged around Obi’s historic 2023 presidential campaign and has remained an active force in his continued political journey. In that role, he was involved in the movement’s state-level coordination and public engagements, becoming one of the recognisable faces of Obi’s support base in Edo State a state that holds particular political significance given the turbulence the NDC and its allies have experienced there in recent months, including an assassination attempt on Obi himself during a visit to Benin City in February 2026.

The circumstances surrounding Inaede’s death were not disclosed in Obi’s statement. His passing represents another sombre moment for the Obidient Movement, which has lost several of its committed members in recent months as Nigeria’s 2027 electoral season draws closer and the movement continues to navigate an increasingly charged political landscape.