“If the opposition makes a mistake and presents Peter Obi, I will vote for Tinubu just to prevent Peter Obi from emerging as President because we cannot have a nation where the leader of a mob will run our country.”
“If the opposition makes a mistake and presents Peter Obi, I will vote for Tinubu just to prevent Peter Obi from emerging as President because we cannot have a nation where the leader of a mob will run our country.”
– Deji Adeyanju. pic.twitter.com/vEC745vBrb
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) August 29, 2025
Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju on Friday stated his preference for President Bola Tinubu over Peter Obi should the two face off in the 2027 elections, emphasising that his decision stems from convictions about democratic conduct rather than loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress .
Adeyanju explained, “Why would somebody like me support the APC? Support the APC for what? If the opposition presents Peter Obi, I will vote Tinubu.” He criticised the intolerance he attributes to Obi’s supporters, saying, “Anybody who does not support their candidate is an enemy of Nigeria. Anybody that does not support the candidate has been paid, has been compromised in supporting the government.”
Rejecting suggestions that his stance signals alignment with the APC, Adeyanju reminded audiences of his varied voting record: “I have never voted for a bad candidate in my view. In 1999, I voted for Obasanjo. In 2011, I voted for Goodluck Jonathan. In 2015, I voted for Jonathan again and in 2023, I voted for Omoyele Sowore.”
He further condemned what he sees as coercive behaviour by some Obi supporters in the previous campaign, citing instances of targeted harassment such as their treatment of Joke Silva: “But they terrorised that woman, and other people, because she decided to support Tinubu in the last election.”
While initially excited by Obi’s candidacy as a milestone for the South-East—“The idea of Obi’s candidacy excited me because the South-East has not produced a president since independence,” Adeyanju confessed—his enthusiasm faded amid concerns over the movement’s tone. He affirmed that his activism, rooted in defense of democracy and free speech—even at personal risk—remains issue-based and independent .
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