2027: Deji Adeyanju Accuses Obi, Kwankwaso of Working for Tinubu
Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has accused Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, of working in the interest of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Adeyanju made the allegation in a post on X on Saturday, arguing that the two politicians were repeating what he described as their political role during the 2023 election.
He urged voters not to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, alleging that doing so would amount to supporting Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The allegation comes against the backdrop of comments by Obi in Enugu, where the NDC presidential candidate said he would not insult or disrespect Tinubu despite their political differences.
Adeyanju Revisits 2023 Election
Obi and Kwankwaso contested the 2023 presidential election separately.
Obi ran on the Labour Party platform, while Kwankwaso was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Official results published by the Independent National Electoral Commission show that Tinubu won the 2023 election with 8,794,726 votes. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party received 6,984,520 votes, while Obi polled 6,101,533. Kwankwaso received 1,496,687 votes.
Kwankwasiyya Movement National Leader, Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (L) with H.E Peter Obi of the ADC at the Kwankwasiyya Movement Eid annual event
photo credit Mansur Kurugu
The political configuration has since changed ahead of 2027, with Obi and Kwankwaso now running together under the NDC.
Channels Television reported earlier this year that Kwankwaso confirmed a written agreement with Obi concerning a single four-year presidential term if the ticket wins the 2027 election. Obi subsequently publicly affirmed that commitment.
Adeyanju’s latest comments therefore come as the former rivals from the 2023 election campaign operate as presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the same ticket.
Peter Obi Labour Party 2023 Presidential Candidate and NDC Presidential Flag bearer
Obi: ‘I Will Not Abuse President Tinubu’
Speaking at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, Obi addressed his approach to political criticism and his relationship with Tinubu.
He said he would not insult the President, while maintaining that political disagreements over government performance were legitimate.
“I will not do that. He’s the President of the country, he has all my respect,” Obi said.
Obi added that respecting the office did not prevent him from questioning government policies or performance.
His remarks are consistent with his broader argument that the 2027 campaign should focus on issues affecting Nigerians rather than personal attacks.
In a September 7 engagement, for example, Obi urged supporters to participate actively in the electoral process and defend their votes from the polling unit through the final declaration of results.
Obi-Kwankwaso Alliance Under Scrutiny
The alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso has become one of the major changes in Nigeria’s 2027 political landscape.
The two men who contested against each other in 2023 are now presenting a joint ticket, with Obi as presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as his running mate.
NDC chieftain Buba Galadima said earlier this week that the party was working to harmonise differences between the two politicians because they had campaigned on separate platforms and with different policy blueprints in 2023.
Deji Adeyanju
Kwankwaso has also publicly defended the alliance. In July, he described Obi as someone Nigerians could rely on and said he had developed greater confidence in Obi’s leadership since the 2023 election.
The ticket has also faced claims that Kwankwaso could be working for Tinubu. Kwankwaso previously denied such an allegation, saying his cordial relationship with the President should not be interpreted as support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Adeyanju’s latest comments add another layer to the increasingly contested political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
His claim that Obi and Kwankwaso are working for Tinubu is an allegation, not an established fact. The NDC ticket continues to campaign as an opposition platform, while Obi and Kwankwaso have publicly outlined their own political agenda for 2027.
With the election scheduled for January 16, 2027, the focus is likely to remain on the competing alliances, candidates, policies and arguments being presented to Nigerian voters.
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