Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has said that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, will not be trusted by northern voters even if he swears in a shrine to serve only one term as president.
Adeyanju made the remark during an interview on Arise Television while analysing the build-up to the 2027 general elections and the ongoing opposition coalition talks.
According to him, the only Southerner with the political capacity to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the next presidential election is former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He argued that Jonathan’s eligibility for just one term makes him a more acceptable candidate to northern stakeholders.
“I have said it publicly, and I want to reiterate it — even if a Southerner were to contest, the only person who stands a chance of defeating Tinubu is Goodluck Jonathan,” Adeyanju said.
He added: “And this is because he just has only one more term. As for Peter Obi, it’s not even about an agreement. Even if he swears in a shrine, they [the North] will not believe him, and they will not vote for him.”
His comment comes days after Obi said he was willing to serve only one term as president and would hand over power to the North in the interest of national unity and fairness.
The former Anambra State governor is one of the leading names being considered in the opposition’s bid to present a consensus presidential candidate in 2027.
Other notable figures being mentioned include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi. However, none of them have officially declared their intentions to contest.
Adeyanju also urged key political figures like Atiku to step aside and support younger aspirants from the North, warning that personal ambition should not override the broader goal of defeating the incumbent.
“The idea that it must always be me — it does not have to always be you on the stage,” he said. “You can be off the stage and support somebody else who is standing on the stage.”
Adeyanju’s comments have since sparked debate on social media, with supporters and critics of the leading opposition figures expressing differing views on the possibility of forming a unified political front to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
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