A new political disagreement has surfaced regarding former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s intentions for the 2027 general elections. The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF) recently claimed that Obasanjo is covertly promoting President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, despite his public associations with opposition movements.
Akin Malaolu, the president of YRLF, argued that Obasanjo’s recent public statements are intended to fracture opposition coalitions. Specifically, the group highlighted a letter Obasanjo sent to Segun Osoba, which accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of historical disloyalty. The YRLF believes these remarks serve to discredit opposition figures and destabilize efforts to form a strong coalition against the current administration.
Furthermore, the group questioned the ethics of involving the late Ghali Umar Na’Abba in these disputes, noting that he cannot defend himself. They alleged that the former president’s stated support for the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance is a diversionary tactic.
Conversely, Dr. Akin Osuntokun, Obasanjo’s former political adviser, rejected these claims as baseless. Speaking on ARISE Television, Osuntokun stated that Obasanjo is a primary architect of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and fully supports the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. He confirmed that Obasanjo personally mediated between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to facilitate their partnership. Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the accusations leveled against him by the former president, reiterating that his past opposition to Obasanjo was rooted in principled disagreement over political tenure limits.
