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Nigerians are wondering if former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dumped the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu following his latest fashion statement.
In the last few days, social media has been full of questions and speculations over Obasanjo's political affiliation after he wore a Yoruba native cap with an embroidered design that looked almost like Tinubu's cap signature.
The President is famous for his signature cap, which he has been wearing since he became the governor of Lagos State in 1999.
In Tinubu's early days as Lagos governor, the cap's embroidery design - number eight (8) but placed horizontally - was initially interpreted to be a subtle campaign for his second term in office.
However, he continued to wear the headgear even after leaving office in 2007 and has stuck to it to date.
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The Tinubu cap isn't just a piece of fashion accessory, it has become a political insignia, proudly don by the President's supporters to show their loyalty, commitment, and affiliation to him.
Therefore, anyone who puts the 'Tinubu's cap' on isn't just making a fashion statement, such a person may also be passing a strong political message.
Obasanjo sparks speculation
The former President and the incumbent are well known to belong to different political divides despite being kinsmen from the South-West region of the country.
Obasanjo leaned towards Obi during the 2023 election and criticised the election that produced Tinubu as the president.
The above scenario explains why many Nigerians were flabbergasted to see Obasanjo's cap, which he wore to attend an event at Afreximbank Annual Meetings in the Bahamas sometime last week.
Has Obasanjo dumped Obi for Tinubu
On close inspection, the design on the former President's cap doesn't look exactly the same as the ones on Tinubu's caps but the similarity is striking enough to nullify any disclaimer.
The elder statesman has not been overly critical of the Tinubu government like he was during former President Muhammadu Buhari's tenure.
He has even expressed his endorsement of some of the policies of the current government, even though he differs on how they should be implemented.
Below are some of the reactions from Nigerians to Obasanjo's controversial fashion statement.