Ajimobi: Advocacy and Democratic Concern – Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo

By Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo (BOS)

The recent statement credited to Mrs Florence Ajumobi, former First Lady of Oyo State, where she allegedly declared that “PDP vs APC: We are going to war in 2027,” is not only reckless and inflammatory, but also deeply troubling in a country like Nigeria that is already bleeding from insecurity, hunger, and political tension.

For someone who once occupied a position of public trust and privilege, such a statement is irresponsible, insensitive, and dangerous. Nigeria is not a battlefield, and elections are not wars. Political competition in a democracy is meant to be decided by ideas, policies, performance, and the ballot, not by threats, chest-beating, or militaristic language.

Words matter especially when they come from political elites. When influential figures casually use the language of war, they normalise violence, embolden political thugs, and further polarise an already fragile society.

Nigeria has paid too high a price for political violence: lives lost, communities destroyed, youths used as disposable tools by power-hungry politicians, and families permanently broken. Any leader or former leader who truly loves this country should be working to lower tensions, not escalate them.

At a time when Nigerians are grappling with: crushing inflation and the unbearable cost of living,
mass unemployment and youth despair, worsening insecurity across the North, South, East, and West, and declining trust in institutions and leadership.

The last thing the country needs is a former First Lady beating the drums of war over party rivalry.
Political parties are not armies. APC and PDP are not rival militias. They are supposed to be vehicles for governance, not platforms for threats. Reducing Nigeria’s democratic process to a “war” between parties is an insult to voters and a betrayal of democratic values.

More disturbing is the hypocrisy often displayed by political elites who incite tension while their own children live abroad, safe from the chaos they help create. It is always the poor man’s child that becomes the victim of electoral violence; always the ordinary Nigerian that bleeds, while politicians shake hands behind closed doors after elections.

Mrs Ajumobi’s statement also reflects a broader problem in Nigerian politics: the refusal of the political class to mature. Instead of issue-based politics debating education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, and economic revival we hear threats, insults, and war metaphors. This backward mindset is one of the reasons Nigeria continues to struggle.

If the PDP or any party believes it has a better vision for Nigeria, the answer is simple: present credible candidates, articulate clear policies, mobilise peacefully,
respect the rule of law and allow Nigerians to decide.
Anything outside this framework is anti-democratic.

Leaders past and present must remember that Nigeria is sitting on a powder keg of frustration. Youth anger is real. Hunger is real. Insecurity is real. Careless statements like this are sparks that can ignite uncontrollable consequences.

History will not be kind to those who encourage chaos for political relevance. Nigeria needs healing, dialogue, reforms, and responsible leadership, not war talk from political retirees seeking attention.
The 2027 elections should be about rescuing Nigeria, not destroying it.

Enough of reckless rhetoric.
Enough of political arrogance.
Enough of endangering lives with careless words.

Nigeria must move forward not march into manufactured conflict.