…As Aide defends Obi-Kwankwaso role
Fresh controversy has erupted over the political stance of former President Olusegun Obasanjo ahead of the 2027 general election, following conflicting claims over whether he is quietly backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election or actively supporting an opposition alliance.
The dispute comes amid intensified coalition talks and political realignments among opposition parties seeking to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election.
The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum alleged that Obasanjo’s recent political interventions were aimed at weakening the opposition and ultimately advancing President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
In a statement signed by its President, Akin Malaolu, the group cited Obasanjo’s recent letter to former Ogun State Governor, Segun Osoba, in which the former president alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar mobilised the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, in an attempt to impeach him while he was in office.
According to the forum, the letter was more than a personal attack on Atiku, describing it as part of a broader political strategy to sow discord within the opposition.
“What many perceive as an attack on Atiku is, in reality, a deliberate assault on the opposition parties in Nigeria,” Malaolu said.
The group also criticised Obasanjo for mentioning the late Na’Abba, arguing that the former Speaker could no longer respond to the allegation.
It further claimed that Obasanjo’s public support for Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was intended to disguise what it described as his real objective of supporting Tinubu’s re-election.
The forum also alleged, without presenting evidence, that the former president was working with a member of Tinubu’s family to build political structures that would aid the President’s 2027 campaign.
However, Obasanjo’s former Political Adviser, Dr. Akin Osuntokun, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the former president remains one of the key figures behind the emerging opposition alliance.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, Osuntokun said Obasanjo personally facilitated the alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso and continues to support their joint presidential ticket.
“If you can say that Obasanjo is supporting any ticket, it is the Peter Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. As a matter of fact, he is the principal sponsor of that ticket,” he said.
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He described claims that Obasanjo was secretly working for Tinubu as baseless and inconsistent with publicly available facts.
“How do you then suggest that he is secretly working for Tinubu? It does not make sense to me. That claim is absolute bunkum. The evidence is in the public domain,” Osuntokun said.
He maintained that Obasanjo personally brokered the alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso, noting that both politicians have longstanding relationships with the former president.
According to Osuntokun, discussions on a possible Obi-Kwankwaso partnership had begun several years ago, adding that such an alliance could significantly influence the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
The latest controversy follows Obasanjo’s recent public letter accusing Atiku of backing attempts to remove him from office during his presidency.
Atiku, through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, rejected the allegation, insisting that his opposition to Obasanjo’s failed third-term agenda remains one of the defining moments of Nigeria’s democratic history.
With political consultations gathering pace ahead of the 2027 general election, Obasanjo’s role in the evolving opposition coalition continues to fuel speculation, underscoring the intense political manoeuvring already shaping the race for Nigeria’s highest office.
