Veteran comedian Ali Baba has opened up about a political playbook he claims was shared with him by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on how to become Nigeria’s president.
Speaking during an interview on Outside The Box, the 59-year-old comedian—whose real name is Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome—said the conversation happened when Obasanjo assumed he was venturing into politics and decided to offer some strategic advice.
“He thought I was going into politics, so he was happy I was talking to him about politics,” Ali Baba explained. “He said ‘Ali, I’m happy you are catching up with politics, but you still have a lot to learn about how governors and presidents are selected’.”
According to the comedian, Obasanjo broke down the political equation: “He said ‘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 the numbers’… You need 44 of the most popular senatorial districts.”
Ali Baba also claimed the former president shared insights into what a first-term president must do to secure re-election. “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.
“If you don’t do that, then, you can’t ask the people for anything because when you give them at the first year of your getting into the office when it’s time for elections you just tell them ‘Do you want to continue this contract or not’.”
Obasanjo allegedly emphasized the importance of making early strategic appointments: “He said you must name your CJN, IGP, controller-general of customs, head of the NNPC, CBN governor, and you must suspend pending cases of corrupt past governors who are loaded.”
Ali Baba said the advice included navigating corruption among politicians: “Don’t forget that those guys have war chests that they are just sitting and waiting for who they want to align with… No matter how much EFCC milk from them, they still have plenty.”
The comedian said Obasanjo also spoke about the financial muscle some governors control through internally generated revenue. “Some states… add to what the federal government gives them. When they leave office, EFCC can’t come looking for them because… it is their money, they generated it themselves.”
The guidance reportedly extended to gaining influence across multiple power centres: “He also advised infiltrating opposition parties and strategically influencing delegates by offering incentives to ensure loyalty during elections.”
Ali Baba quoted Obasanjo further: “Get US or China support because of their businesses in your country, they would support. Get the National Association of Nigerian students, market women, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers. Unsettle the organized labour. Get 10 of the richest Nigerians on your side. Infiltrate your opposition party and let them decamp for elections.”
Explaining how to manipulate internal party politics, he added: “I will send my people to leave my party and join your party before the elections… So when you are planning, they inform their original party.”
Obasanjo also allegedly advised him on how to “buy” delegate loyalty in advance: “You know who and who that would be selected as delegates, give two of his daughters job in the bank, give another’s wife a shop, sponsor another’s trip to Hajj… So when the time for election comes and you say this is the person I’m supporting, they won’t mess up because of what you have done.”
To round off the playbook, Ali Baba said Obasanjo listed institutions and influencers to secure: “Have a hand in appointing all parties’ chairmen. Secure INEC and state rec, blogs, social media, religious leaders, royal fathers, the appointment of a board of chairmen and DGs. Get four constitutional lawyers on retainership.”
While the revelations remain unverified, Ali Baba said he has documentation of the exchanges, underscoring the former president’s detailed—and somewhat Machiavellian—approach to Nigerian politics.
