Iyabo Obasanjo denies alliance with Peter Obi, says her support is with Tinubu
- Iyabo Obasanjo, PDP senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, has denied reports of an alliance with Peter Obi.
- Her campaign spokesperson said she has never met the former Anambra governor for political talks.
- She said she is backing President Bola Tinubu because she knows him best among the candidates.
Iyabo Obasanjo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ogun Central in the Senate, has denied reports that she is working towards an alliance with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Her campaign organisation said in a statement that she has never met the former Anambra State governor for any political discussion.
The statement was issued by Peter Macjob, spokesperson of the Iyabo Obasanjo Senatorial Campaign Organisation. It followed a social media post by a blog, Very Nigerian, which claimed a so-called Rainbow Coalition was forming in Ogun Central and that Obasanjo was considering endorsing Obi.
What she said
Obasanjo described the report as false and said her support remains with President Bola Tinubu. She said her position rests on a long political relationship with the President.
I have never met Obi for any political discussions ever,
she said in the statement.
She added that she knows Tinubu best among those in contention, describing him as a much more senior politician who has always treated her with respect.
According to her campaign organisation, there have been no meetings, consultations or agreements between Obasanjo and Obi, and no talks over any cross-party voting arrangement.
The organisation also said the report was fabricated to mislead voters and cause confusion within the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
Why it matters
Ogun Central is one of the Senate seats the PDP hopes to take, and any hint of a deal with another party's presidential candidate would unsettle the party's base in the state. For voters in the district, the denial means the race stays a straight contest between the parties as currently presented.
The campaign said Obasanjo remains the PDP's duly cleared candidate for Ogun Central and is focused on her bid to represent the district in the Senate.
What happens next: The 2027 general election timetable will be set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Until then, expect more claims and denials on the campaign trail, and voters should check party statements and INEC's official candidate lists rather than social media posts.
