Osuntokun reveals Obasanjo's role in 2027 ticket
A former political adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has asserted that the retired Nigerian leader is the principal financial sponsor of the Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections. Akin Osuntokun made the claim during an interview with Arise News on Sunday, July 26, 2026, stating that Obasanjo's support for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket is "conspicuously obvious."
According to Osuntokun, Obasanjo did not merely endorse the pairing but actively engineered the alliance, personally bringing the two politicians together. "As a matter of fact, he (Obasanjo) is the principal sponsor. He was one who put the two of them together. This is what I know," Osuntokun said during the interview.
Obasanjo's alleged brokering of the alliance
Osuntokun elaborated that Obasanjo was instrumental in brokering the ticket between Obi and Kwankwaso, noting that both candidates are close to the former president. "He (Obasanjo) was the one who brokered the ticket between Obi and Kwankwaso. Both of them are quite close to him. So that, of course, is a ticket that makes sense and has the potential to make a lot of impact in the 2027 elections," he added.
The comments directly challenge recent speculation suggesting that Obasanjo has been quietly working in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Osuntokun dismissed that theory, arguing that Obasanjo's backing of the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket makes such a claim untenable. "So, how do you then rationalise, from that fact, that he is supporting Obi and Kwankwaso, and then insinuate that he is working for Tinubu, because Tinubu visited him in 2023?" he questioned.
Obi's path to the NDC ticket
Peter Obi resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in May 2026 and was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026. The NDC ticket pairs him with former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate for the 2027 presidential race. Osuntokun's claims, if accurate, place Obasanjo at the centre of one of the most significant opposition political arrangements ahead of the 2027 polls.
Separately, earlier reports indicated that Obi called for President Tinubu's resignation over alleged governance failures and purported nationwide discontent. Following the IMF's revelation that expenditure amounting to two per cent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) was omitted from the budget process, Obi described the development as "horrible" and called on the president to step down.
The allegations from Osuntokun add a new dimension to the 2027 election dynamics, potentially reshaping alliances and voter perceptions. As the election approaches, the role of influential figures like Obasanjo in shaping opposition strategies will likely remain a focal point of political discourse.
