Renowned Nigerian comedian Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has unveiled political strategies he learned from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
During an interview on the ‘Outside the Box Podcast’, which aired on YouTube on Saturday, Alibaba shed light on Nigeria’s political landscape, recounting a conversation with Obasanjo that outlined essential tactics for securing electoral victory, particularly in a presidential race.
“Ali, I’m happy you’re catching up with politics but you still have a lot to learn, like how you get governors and presidents elected,” Obasanjo reportedly told him.
Alibaba revealed that one of the key takeaways from their discussion was the importance of securing the support of at least seven governors—specifically those of Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, and the Central Bank Governor—to stand a strong chance in a presidential election.
“You need seven governors to win an election: Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, and the CBN governor. Then I said Kano and Kaduna don’t have money, he said that is for numbers, and what is money? That is numbers too,” Alibaba recounted.
Beyond gubernatorial support, he noted that Obasanjo emphasized the necessity of winning 44 key senatorial districts and strategically awarding contracts in the first year of office.
“You need 44 of the most popular senatorial districts. You need to have awarded 10 contracts, and 15% of that contract can give you a marginal impact at the polls. And you must award this contract in your first year of assumption of office,” he quoted Obasanjo as saying.
Further, the former president reportedly advised that strategic appointments were crucial, including handpicking the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, the Comptroller-General of Customs, the head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and the Central Bank Governor.
Obasanjo also suggested suspending corruption cases against financially influential former governors.
“You must suspend pending cases of corrupt past governors who are loaded,” Alibaba quoted him.
He explained that these individuals, despite facing corruption probes, still controlled vast financial resources that could be instrumental in political maneuvering.
According to the comedian, Obasanjo’s strategy also included securing international backing, infiltrating opposition parties, and winning over key stakeholders such as students, market women, transport workers, and influential businessmen.
Reading from his conversation with Obasanjo, Alibaba said: “Get US or China support because of their businesses in your country, they would support. Get National Association of Nigerian Students, market women, National Union of Road Transport Workers. Unsettle the organized labour. Get 10 of the richest Nigerians on your side.”
The former president also allegedly advised that political aspirants should take control of party structures, including influencing the selection of party chairmen and infiltrating rival parties before elections.
“I asked how do you buy congresses,” Alibaba continued. “He said you know who and who will be selected as delegates, you give two of his daughters jobs at the bank, you give this other person’s wife a shop, this person wants to go to hajj, they go to hajj. When the time for election comes and you say this is the person I’m supporting, because of these people who you have given those things, they won’t mess up.”
The strategies, as outlined by Obasanjo, also involved securing control over electoral processes, media narratives, religious and traditional leaders, and legal experts.
“Secure INEC and state REC, blogs and social media, religious leaders, royal fathers, the appointment of board of chairmen and DGs. He says to refer to No. 2. Get four constitutional lawyers on retainership,” Alibaba quoted Obasanjo.
