‘Atiku is ours; Tinubu will fail in 2027,’ Aregbesola’s supporters sing

By Lateef Ibrahim with agency report

Praise singers loyal to former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola showered praises on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during his visit to Osun State yesterday in apparent support for the former vice president’s 2027 presidential bid.

Mr Abubakar, in a post on X, shared a video of his visit to Mr Aregbesola’s house in Osun, where the former governor’s team chanted that President Bola Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027 will fail.

The video saw Yoruba praise singers dressed in white apparel and yellow caps sing in the adulation of Mr Abubakar and Mr Aregbesola.

The praise singing that started more as a song welcoming the former vice president and his entourage transitioned into political rhetoric about the 2027 election.

“Atiku is Aregbesola’s ally. Atiku is our father. Atiku is our person,” the praise singers responded as the talking drum led the chorus. “In 2027, Tinubu will fall down.”

This comes amid rumours of a coalition between opposition groups to challenge Mr Tinubu in the 2027 election.

Mr Aregbesola, a former protégé of Mr Tinubu, fell out with his political godfather over Osun State governorship politics.

Gboyega Oyetola, a relation of Mr Tinubu, succeeded Mr Aregbesola after his two terms in 2018. But later worked against Mr Oyetola’s reelection.

Before now, Mr Aregbesola had openly mocked Mr Tinubu as “urinating on himself” at a rally in February 2022.

Though Mr Aregbesola had begged for forgiveness from his former godfather, his association with Mr Abubakar suggests he could be teaming up with the opposition leader to oust Mr Tinubu from office