Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju has declared that he would cast his vote for President Bola Tinubu if the opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fields Peter Obi, a former Anambra governor, as its presidential candidate in 2027.
“God forbid that I support APC. If the opposition presents Peter Obi, I will vote for Tinubu,” Adeyanju stated on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, when asked whether his criticisms of Obi were deliberate attempts to discredit him.
Adeyanju’s rift with Obi has deepened in recent months, escalating into a legal battle after the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, through his lawyers, threatened to sue Adeyanju for allegedly making defamatory remarks online and in media interviews.
Unfazed by the lawsuit, Adeyanju said he was prepared to meet Obi in court. He further accused Obi of encouraging toxic political behaviour, particularly pointing to the conduct of some “Obidient” supporters on social media.
“We cannot have a man who leads a mob that terrorises people online and cannot tolerate criticism, who calls people all sorts of names. Anybody who cannot support their candidate is seen as an enemy of Nigeria or has been paid to do so. That is not democracy,” he said.
The activist also questioned Obi’s democratic credentials, contrasting them with his own history of activism.
“What sacrifices has he made for democracy? Many of us have put our lives on the line at great personal cost. We must sanitise our polity. We cannot have a country where people who terrorise others online dictate the tone of political discourse,” Adeyanju argued.
Speaking on his past electoral choices, Adeyanju stressed that he had always voted for candidates he considered credible.
“In my opinion, I have never voted for a bad candidate. In 1999, I voted for Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2011, I voted for Goodluck Jonathan. In 2015, I voted for Jonathan again, against the so-called lovers of democracy who wanted Muhammadu Buhari,” he recalled.
