Human rights activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is the only Southerner capable of defeating President Bola Tinubu in a presidential election. Speaking on Arise Television, Adeyanju dismissed the prospects of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, stating that Northern voters would not trust Obi to uphold a promise to serve only one term as president.
Adeyanju’s comments come in response to Obi’s recent statement expressing willingness to serve a single term and hand over power to the North. Obi, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, is considered a leading contender for a potential coalition presidential ticket, though none have officially declared their candidacy.
“I have said it publicly, and I want to reiterate that even if a Southerner were to contest, the only person who stands the chance of defeating Tinubu is Goodluck Jonathan,” Adeyanju said. He argued that Jonathan’s single remaining term makes him a viable candidate. Regarding Obi, he added, “Even if he swears in a shrine, [Northerners] will not believe him, and they will not vote for him.”
Adeyanju also suggested that Atiku could bolster a younger Northern candidate’s chances by stepping aside. “The idea that it must always be me does not have to always be you on the stage. You can be off the stage and be supporting somebody that is standing on the stage,” he stated.
The remarks highlight the complex dynamics of regional trust and political strategy as Nigeria approaches future elections.
