In the overheated arena of Nigerian politics, allegations often travel faster than facts. This submission appears to be playing out again with the claim that Ambassador Mrs Florence Ajimobi allegedly called for “war” against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections. A sober reflection on her personality, political history, and public conduct makes such an allegation not only doubtful but grossly implausible.
Amb. Florence Ajimobi is not a political neophyte, intoxicated by the recklessness of partisan bravado. She is a woman of care and candour and a motherly personality who has consistently projected calm, restraint, and dignity in public life. Throughout her years as First Lady of Oyo State and beyond, she has been known more for advocacy, social interventions, and bridge-building than for incendiary rhetorics. To suddenly cast her as a promoter of political warfare is to ignore her entire sterling public record. To say that she called for ‘war’ is not only inconsistent with her meekly character but is also alien to the political culture she has represented in Oyo State over the years.
Words like “war” have specific connotations in a country like Nigeria, a society that has endured the painful consequences of violent political competition and divisive rhetorics. It is precisely because of this history that responsible political actors choose their language carefully. Amb. Ajimobi belongs firmly in this category. She understands that elections are contests of ideas, organisation, and persuasion but not battles to be fought with threats or hostile language. It is also important to interrogate the timing and motive behind such an allegation. As political alignments begin to shift towards 2027, the temptation to weaponise misquotation and propaganda becomes stronger. Dragging respected figures into needless controversy is a familiar tactic aimed at cheap point-scoring, media distraction, or internal party mischief. Unfortunately, such tactics do more harm to democratic culture than to their intended targets.
Oyo State politics has long been defined by intense but largely civil competitions between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Even during the most heated moments of the Ajimobi government, from the 2015 re-election battles to the turbulent lead-up to 2019, Amb. Florence Ajimobi never for once resorted to inflammatory rhetorics. At a time when partisan tensions were at a feverish pitch across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa, she consistently maintained a conciliatory public posture, regularly in talks and social interventions with women groups, civil society and traditional institution without partisan aggression.
Those who know Amb. Ajimobi closely, across party lines, attest to her measured disposition and preference for dialogue over confrontation. Even in moments of intense political pressure during her husband’s tenure, she remained consistent in measured tone and conduct. It defies logic that the same person would now descend into reckless, militaristic language. If indeed any statement was made or attributed to her, the burden of proof lies on those making the claim to present it verbatim, in context, and from a credible source. In the absence of this, the allegation should be treated for what it most likely is: a distortion, a mischief, or an outright fabrication.
Politics in Oyo State, and Nigeria at large, does not need more inflammatory narratives. It needs restraint, maturity, and issue-based engagement. Amb. Florence Ajimobi represents this higher standard of political behaviour. Attempting to paint her otherwise is not only unfair; it is utterly dishonest.
Let’s not forget that the first priority on late Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s mind as he assumed the mantle of governance in 2011 was security. His biggest headache was how to find solutions to the reigning violence and brigandage that the PDP government foisted on Oyo State and left for Ajimobi administration to grapple with. It is therefore inconceivable that Florence Ajimobi who was Abiola Ajimobi’s masterpiece of nature would now embrace violence and war because of politics, things her late husband fought vehemently to eradicate from the politics of Oyo State. It’s unthinkable and a wicked assumption that Florence Ajimobi would rubbish her late husband’s legacy of a violent-free Oyo State because of politics. Haa! It’s unarguable that no governor in the history of Oyo State, past or present, could match late Abiola Ajimobi in the pursuit of peace and non violence!
Amb. Florence Ajimobi is widely regarded as a stabilising influence rather than a political firebrand. Let’s recall that the political rivalry between APC and PDP in Oyo often revolves around narratives of governance and not calls to violence. The PDP’s 2019 return to power under Governor Seyi Makinde did not provoke warlike rhetorics either from Amb. Ajimobi or the Ajimobi political family. On the contrary, she has focused her energy on social, humanitarian and non-confrontational interventions.
As we approach 2027, Nigerians must learn to separate noise from substance and resist the urge to amplify unverified claims. Reputations built over decades should not be casually dismantled by rumours crafted for momentary political advantage. Dr Florence Ajimobi deserves better, and so does our democracy. Political actors must resist the temptation to drag respected personalities into fabricated controversies. Oyo people deserve a contest of ideas, performance and vision. It does not deserve recycling of inflammatory falsehoods. Dr Florence Ajimobi speaks eloquently against recklessness in public space.
