A political group, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of working against opposition parties while covertly supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
In a press statement issued on July 26, 2026, and signed by its President, Chief Akin Malaolu, the group alleged that Obasanjo’s recent public comments and political moves are aimed at weakening the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group was reacting to a letter reportedly written by Obasanjo to former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba, in which the former president made allegations against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, including claims that he mobilised the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, to impeach him during his tenure.
Responding to the development, Atiku had accused Obasanjo of holding grudges over his role in opposing the controversial third-term agenda during the former president’s administration.
However, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum claimed that Obasanjo’s remarks go beyond a personal dispute with Atiku, alleging that they form part of a broader strategy to destabilise opposition parties.
“Many think the attack is against Atiku. Far from it. What Obasanjo did was a deliberate attack against the opposition parties in Nigeria,” the statement read.
The group further alleged that Obasanjo’s perceived support for key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, is merely a “smokescreen” to conceal his alleged backing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the statement, prior to the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a coalition platform, party stakeholders had engaged Obasanjo, but his primary interest was in promoting Obi’s candidacy.
The group also claimed that Obasanjo attempted to influence internal party dynamics and candidate selection, and when unsuccessful, allegedly played a role in political realignments involving other parties.
It further alleged that the former president is working behind the scenes with individuals close to the presidency to advance Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
“It is telling that the same man who once advocated pan-Nigerian politics has now retreated into regional considerations to support a struggling administration,” the statement added.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasanjo had not publicly responded to the allegations made by the group.