Nigeria · Politics

Deji Adeyanju Defends Lawsuit Response, Slams Peter Obi’s Supporters Over Democracy Claims

Activist rejects accusations of working with the APC, insisting his opposition to Peter Obi stems from concerns over intolerance among the candidate’s online supporters.

Overall, Deji Adeyanju has fired back at critics who accuse him of demarketing Peter Obi, using a lawsuit filed against him as the occasion to break his silence. Rather than dodge the controversy, however, Adeyanju addressed it head-on, insisting his stance has nothing to do with any alliance with the ruling APC.

The controversy stems from earlier remarks in which Adeyanju said he would rather vote for President Bola Tinubu than support Obi. That comment, unsurprisingly, sparked accusations that he was quietly working to undermine the Labour Party candidate. Consequently, many now wonder aloud whether Adeyanju has switched allegiance to the government, especially given similar suspicions long directed at his brother.

So, when pressed directly on whether he supports the APC, Adeyanju rejected the accusation outright.

“Why would somebody like me, God forbid that I support the APC, support the APC for what?”
Deji Adeyanju

Still, he stood firmly by his earlier statement. “If the opposition presents Peter Obi, I will vote Tinubu,” he said, repeating the line that first triggered the backlash.

For Adeyanju, though, the issue runs deeper than a single election choice. He argues that Obi’s online supporters, often called the Obidient movement, have created a toxic political culture. According to him, the group cannot tolerate disagreement and instead brands critics as enemies of the state.

“We cannot have a situation where people, a man who leads a mob that terrorizes people online, that cannot tolerate criticism.”
Deji Adeyanju

Furthermore, Adeyanju claims that anyone who questions Obi’s candidacy quickly faces character attacks. Supporters, he says, accuse dissenters of taking bribes or working for the government. “Anybody that does not support their candidate has been paid, has been compromised,” he said, adding that this labeling extends even to longtime critics of the current administration.

That accusation, in particular, struck a nerve. So, Adeyanju then turned the conversation toward his own record, questioning what Obi has personally sacrificed for Nigerian democracy. “Does this person even know what democracy is?” he asked. “What sacrifices has Obi made for democracy?”

By contrast, Adeyanju pointed to his own history of activism, which he says has come at real personal cost. Specifically, he recalled facing terrorism allegations and numerous other charges simply for speaking out.

“We have put our lives on the line for this country, for the preservation of democracy. At the time, I was tagged for terrorism. They’ve tagged me for all kinds of offenses in this country.”
Deji Adeyanju

Given that history, Adeyanju argues that his critics have little standing to question his motives. Therefore, he sees the current backlash as both unfair and hypocritical, especially from people he believes have never faced comparable risk for their political beliefs.

In the end, he closed his remarks with a pointed, repeated challenge to Obi’s supporters and, implicitly, to Obi himself.

“What does this person know about democracy for God’s sake?”
Deji Adeyanju

Ultimately, then, the exchange between Deji Adeyanju and Peter Obi’s supporters suggests a rift that goes beyond one lawsuit or one election cycle. Instead, they reveal a broader disagreement over who gets to define democratic sacrifice in Nigeria, and who has genuinely earned the right to claim it.