How Florence Ajimobi’s ‘War’ Speech Exposed the Real Battle Lines for Oyo 2027”
In an era where artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and manipulated media have become convenient excuses in politics, truth is increasingly the first casualty. The Nigerian political space is no exception. As preparations quietly intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, a viral video involving Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, widow of former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has ignited a fierce debate that goes beyond fact-checking into the heart of political strategy, power struggle, and narrative control in Oyo State.
This article takes a professional, evidence-based, and contextual look at the controversy—without altering the real meaning of the original words—while expanding the conversation to examine what the episode truly signals for Oyo politics, the APC, and the looming 2027 governorship race.
FACT CHECK: Was the video of Florence Ajimobi “declaring war” in Oyo 2027 general elections doctored?
Verdict: False.
The viral video showing Mrs. Florence Ajimobi speaking about the 2027 Oyo State governorship election was not doctored.
Mrs. Ajimobi made the statement in June 2025 during the 5th memorial prayer of her late husband, former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In the full video, from 2:35 to the end, she is heard saying:
> “We're going to war in 2027. It's going to be war, headon war, PDP must go.
"Whatever they want to do, whatever they want to try, whatever tricks, all powers belongs to God. But we're going to beg God and were going to fight them.
"Whatever they have in the state we have at the federal level, we have money, they have money in the state, we have money in the federal level, we have all the support we need. We are not going to be intimidated. So let them get ready for us, we're ready for them."
But what were they insinuating when her media aides quickly called it an AI video. Damage control or to say they're against the continuity of Omituntun 3.0.
Why is it. She's in Apc and the truth should be that Apc wants to take power in 2027. Why is she saying it's not her words
Understanding the Setting: Why the Context Matters
The statement did not emerge from a campaign rally or a spontaneous street interview. It was made during a memorial prayer event marking five years since the passing of Abiola Ajimobi, a two-term governor whose political legacy still shapes the APC’s identity in Oyo State.
Such memorial events in Nigeria are rarely apolitical. They serve as symbolic convergence points for loyalists, party stakeholders, and political power brokers. Speeches delivered in these spaces are often carefully weighed, even when emotionally charged. Mrs. Ajimobi, by virtue of her years beside a seasoned politician, understands this reality deeply.
Therefore, framing her statement as accidental, exaggerated, or artificially generated does not align with the political sophistication expected at such a gathering.
The AI Claim: Coincidence or Calculated Damage Control?
The most controversial aspect of this episode is not the statement itself, but the speed and confidence with which some media aides and supporters reportedly labeled the video as AI-generated.
Globally, verified AI-manipulated videos usually require:
Forensic digital analysis
Side-by-side comparisons
Expert verification
Clear inconsistencies in audio, lip-sync, or metadata
None of these were publicly presented in this case.
Instead, what exists is:
A full-length video with consistent audio and visuals
Multiple eyewitnesses who attended the event
A speech that aligns with known APC ambitions for Oyo State
No conflicting original footage disputing the statement
This raises a critical question: Was the AI claim about truth—or about control?
In Nigerian politics, “damage control” often begins when rhetoric becomes too honest, too blunt, or too revealing for broader strategic comfort.
Omituntun 3.0 and the Politics of Continuity
Governor Seyi Makinde’s Omituntun agenda, which has defined PDP governance in Oyo State since 2019, is widely expected to evolve into Omituntun 3.0 ahead of 2027. While Makinde himself would not be on the ballot due to term limits, continuity remains a central PDP selling point.
Mrs. Ajimobi’s statement—particularly “PDP must go”—cuts directly against that narrative. It is not ambiguous. It does not hedge. It clearly rejects continuity.
Labeling the video as AI-generated may therefore serve a dual purpose:
1. Softening the perceived aggressiveness of the message
2. Creating plausible distance from a direct anti-Omituntun stance
However, politics rarely rewards half-denials. Voters tend to remember the original statement more than the attempted retractions.
APC, 2027, and the Question That Won’t Go Away
A fundamental contradiction remains unresolved:
Mrs. Ajimobi is in the APC.
The APC’s strategic goal is to reclaim Oyo State in 2027.
So why the hesitation?
Why the sudden suggestion that such a statement was “not words,” or not intentional?
Political analysts point to internal party dynamics. The APC in Oyo is navigating:
Zoning debates
Leadership tussles
Federal vs state-level influence
Multiple governorship hopefuls
In such an environment, too much clarity too early can unsettle fragile alliances. What may have been a rallying cry to supporters could be seen internally as jumping the gun.
Language, Power, and Political Honesty
The word “war” has always been part of Nigerian political rhetoric—often metaphorical, sometimes reckless. Yet, similar language has been used in the past without AI denials, only clarifications.
The discomfort here seems less about violence and more about ownership.
Who owns the narrative for Oyo 2027? Who gets to speak boldly? Who decides when ambition becomes “too loud”?
These are the unspoken battles behind the viral video.
Media Literacy in the Age of Viral Politics
This episode also underscores a broader issue: media literacy.
As AI becomes more advanced, the public must learn to differentiate between:
Legitimate deepfake warnings
Convenient political excuses
Calling every uncomfortable truth “AI” risks eroding genuine future warnings about actual manipulated content. It weakens credibility and insults the intelligence of an increasingly aware electorate.
What This Means for Oyo 2027
Beyond Florence Ajimobi, this controversy reveals that:
The 2027 Oyo governorship race has unofficially begun
Political language will grow sharper, not softer
Narrative battles may precede ballot battles
Voters will be asked to choose between continuity and confrontation
The APC’s confidence, as expressed in the speech, signals a party that believes federal power, resources, and momentum can offset incumbency advantages.
Whether that belief holds remains to be seen—but denying the belief exists is no longer convincing.
Final Thoughts: You Can’t AI-Away Reality
Facts remain stubborn. The video exists. The words were spoken. The context is clear.
Attempting to reframe a verifiable public statement as artificial intelligence without evidence does not erase its political impact—it amplifies it.
As Oyo State moves closer to 2027, one lesson stands out: truth, once viral, is harder to control than any algorithm.
And in this case, the truth is simple and unavoidable—Florence Ajimobi’s “war” speech was real, and so is the political battle it represents.
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