Human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has said his vote would go to President Bola Tinubu if the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opposition coalition decides to put forth the presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, as its flag bearer come 2027.
Adeyanju made the remark on Friday while speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, when asked whether he was trying to discredit Obi.
“God forbid that I support APC. If the opposition presents Peter Obi, I will vote for Tinubu,” he said
Obi and Adeyanju’s feud recently shifted to the courtroom after the 64-year-old politician, through his legal team, threatened to sue the activist over publishing defamatory statements on social media and in interviews.
Adeyanju dismissed the notice, expressing eagerness to face Obi in court.
The activist accused Obi of encouraging an unfriendly political culture, pointing to the behaviour of some of the ”Obidient” supporters on social media.
He said, “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 also questioned Obi’s democratic credentials, saying he has not made the kinds of sacrifices others have for Nigeria’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 argued.
While reflecting on his voting history, he stated that he has always stood behind what he considered credible candidates. “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.
