Human rights lawyer and political activist Deji Adeyanju has challenged Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to step down from the 2027 presidential race, claiming their withdrawal would convince him they are no longer working for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Adeyanju made the statement in a post on X, renewing his allegation that the opposition politicians worked in Tinubu’s favour during the 2023 presidential election.
“If Obi and Kwankwaso step down from the race, I will believe they are no longer working for President Tinubu like they did in 2023,” he wrote.
The activist has repeatedly accused Obi and Kwankwaso of working to benefit Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that their participation in the contest could weaken the opposition’s chances of unseating the president.
He has also urged Nigerians not to vote for the duo, insisting that votes cast for them would ultimately benefit the incumbent president.
However, Kwankwaso has defended Obi’s political relevance, maintaining that the former Anambra State governor’s popularity poses a challenge to Tinubu’s re-election ambitions.
Kwankwaso said Obi enjoys considerable support in southern Nigeria, adding that efforts were underway to mobilise voters in the North behind the NDC presidential candidate.
He further claimed that Obi’s personality and growing popularity were sources of concern for Tinubu.
In a separate development, Kwankwaso disclosed that he had asked Fulani groups to persuade former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.
The exchanges underscore growing disagreements among opposition figures over candidate selection, political alliances and strategies for challenging Tinubu in the next general election.
Adeyanju’s claims about Obi and Kwankwaso’s alleged support for Tinubu have not been established as facts.
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