Human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has declared that he would vote for President Bola Tinubu if the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the opposition coalition, decides to field Peter Obi as its candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
Adeyanju made the remark on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief when asked if his criticisms of Obi were an attempt to discredit the former Anambra Governor.
“God forbid that I support APC. If the opposition presents Peter Obi, I will vote for Tinubu,” he said.
The rift between Adeyanju and Obi recently escalated into a legal matter after the 64-year-old politician, through his legal team, threatened to sue the activist for alleged defamatory comments on social media and in interviews.
Adeyanju dismissed the legal threat, saying he was eager to face Obi in court.
He also accused Obi of promoting what he described as a toxic political culture, pointing to the conduct of some of the “Obidient” supporters during the last election cycle.
“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,” Adeyanju said.
Questioning Obi’s democratic credentials, the activist argued that the Labour Party leader had not made sacrifices comparable to those of other Nigerians who fought for the country’s democratic survival.
“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,” he said.
Reflecting on his past choices at the polls, Adeyanju insisted that he had always voted based on principle.
“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 said.
