Fresh controversy has emerged over former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s political role ahead of the 2027 general election, following allegations that he is secretly working to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
The claims, made by the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, were swiftly dismissed by Obasanjo’s former Political Adviser, Dr. Akin Osuntokun, who insisted the former president was instrumental in brokering the Peter Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential alliance on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The conflicting claims come amid increasing political realignments and coalition-building by opposition parties seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the President of the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, Akin Malaolu, alleged that Obasanjo’s recent political interventions were aimed at weakening the opposition rather than strengthening it.
The group cited Obasanjo’s recent letter to former Ogun State Governor, Segun Osoba, in which he alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar mobilised the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, in an attempt to impeach him during his presidency.
According to the forum, the letter formed part of a broader strategy to destabilise opposition parties ahead of the next general election.
“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 was no longer alive to respond to the allegations.
“By dragging the name of Ghali Umar Na’Abba into his allegation, Obasanjo knows too well that the late Speaker is incapable of a right of reply.
“To respond to Obasanjo, he has to be resurrected from the dead, which the former President knows is impossible,” the statement read.
The forum further alleged that Obasanjo’s public support for the presidential ambitions of Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was merely a political cover designed to conceal his alleged backing of President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
“By this letter, Obasanjo has only confirmed speculations that he is working for his kinsman, President Bola Tinubu, to actualise his second-term ambition,” Malaolu stated.
It also claimed that before the opposition coalition settled on its political platform, consultations were held with Obasanjo and other national leaders, alleging that the former president pushed for Obi to emerge as the coalition’s presidential candidate.
The forum further alleged, without providing evidence, that Obasanjo was collaborating with a member of Tinubu’s family to establish political structures that would support the President’s re-election.
Responding to the allegations during an interview on ARISE Television, Osuntokun described the claims as baseless, insisting that Obasanjo remains one of the key figures behind the opposition alliance.
“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,” Osuntokun said.
Rejecting suggestions that Obasanjo was secretly backing Tinubu, he added:
“How do you then suggest that he is secretly working for Tinubu? It does not make sense to me.
“I think that claim is absolute bunkum. The evidence is in the public domain. Obasanjo is playing a major role in supporting the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. He was the one who brought the two men together,” he said.
When asked whether Obasanjo personally negotiated the alliance, Osuntokun maintained there was no doubt about the former president’s involvement.
“Yes, of course. That’s what I said. He brokered the ticket between Obi and Kwankwaso. Both of them are quite close to him. It is a ticket that makes sense and has the potential to make a significant impact in the 2027 election.
“I can tell you for free that he was the one who brought the ticket together,” he added.
Osuntokun also revealed that discussions on a possible Obi-Kwankwaso alliance began several years ago.
“Kwankwaso could have teamed up with Obi four years ago. I remember him saying that if they had agreed then, they would probably have had an arrangement in which they would each spend one term in office, and Kwankwaso would now have been the beneficiary,” he said.
The latest dispute comes days after Obasanjo renewed his long-running disagreement with Atiku by alleging in a public letter that the former vice president supported attempts to remove him from office during his administration.
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.
As political activities gather pace ahead of the 2027 elections, opposition leaders continue consultations and alliance-building efforts aimed at mounting a strong challenge against the APC, with Obasanjo’s political stance remaining the subject of intense public debate.
