Former Ogun State governor and President Bola Tinubu’s long-time ally, Olusegun Osoba, has alleged a formidable gang-up against the President in Southern Nigeria over the 2027 presidential election.
The conspiracy, he alleged, comes in the form of fielding different presidential candidates from the region with a view to dividing votes and drastically reducing Tinubu’s margin.
Osoba, a veteran journalist, stated this at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, during the announcement of the result of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries at the weekend.
He cautioned party faithful not to be carried away by the outcome of the primaries but prepare for the “real election” billed for January 2027.
Osoba described insinuations among APC stakeholders that Tinubu has no major opponent in the polls as a misleading narrative.
“The enemies are many,” Osoba said, alleging that the ambitions of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he said has been waiting quietly in the background, are all schemes to balkanise Southern votes against Tinubu.
His words: “I want to appeal to us all ahead of the coming election: let us not be caught off guard. Many people are saying we have no opponents, but that is a misleading narrative. The enemies are many.
“As we approach the next election, there is a strong gang-up against us. They are plotting to field several candidates from our region in the South. Obi has emerged, Jonathan is quietly waiting in the background, and Makinde has been grandstanding. All these appear to be attempts to divide votes from the South.
“So, I want to passionately appeal to everyone to be prepared to vote massively. Do you agree with me? Please, I am sincerely pleading with you.
“Under our governor, President Tinubu has been good to us in Ogun State through a series of developmental projects. I hope you will all repay the President’s gesture with your support. Will you do that or not?”
