Participants tear and burn shirts at PTI Junction, chant “Obi! Obi!” as fitness event turns political
EFFURUN, DELTA STATE — Tension was reported at PTI Junction in Effurun, Delta State, on Thursday after some youths attending a planned 5-kilometre Independence Day fitness run rejected polo shirts distributed at the event.
The exercise, organised by Soft Nigeria, was held as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary and was promoted as a jog, walk and cycling event.
Reports from the scene said participants were handed Soft Nigeria-branded polo shirts bearing the image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Some of the youths reportedly objected to the political branding, saying they had expected the gathering to focus primarily on the Independence Day fitness activity.
Videos circulating online showed some participants tearing the shirts apart, while other footage appeared to show shirts being set on fire. Some members of the crowd were also heard chanting “Obi! Obi! Obi!” during the incident.
Some participants reportedly threatened to boycott the exercise, with the disagreement turning what was planned as a fitness event into a brief political confrontation.
However, the available videos do not establish that every person at the venue participated in the rejection of the shirts, nor do they establish the political affiliation of all those involved.
There were no reports in the sources reviewed of serious physical clashes or injuries arising from the incident.
Soft Nigeria describes itself as a youth-focused movement involved in civic participation, voter sensitisation and government-awareness activities. Reports published in June also linked the group to political mobilisation in Delta State, including the receipt of two vehicles from the Delta State Sports Commission chairman for mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 elections. Some reports said the group was supporting President Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
However, IBN News could not independently establish from the available evidence whether the Delta State Government officially sponsored Thursday’s event or authorised the distribution of the Tinubu-branded shirts. One report also noted that neither the state government nor the organisers had issued a detailed public explanation of the sponsorship or the decision to distribute the political-branded shirts at the event.
The incident comes as political activity increases across Delta State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with youth mobilisation increasingly featuring in political and civic activities.
As of the latest reports, Soft Nigeria had not issued a detailed public statement explaining why the shirts were distributed or responding to the reaction from participants.
The incident has since generated widespread discussion on social media, particularly over the use of political branding at an event presented to participants as an Independence Day fitness activity.
