A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is the one who forced opposition leaders such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso into working together ahead of the 2027 elections.
In an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, Momodu argued that the current unity among some opposition figures is not born out of genuine long-term commitment but is a reaction to pressure from the ruling government.
“Tinubu forced all of them together. And that is why they all moved in one direction. Which would have been beautiful, because it would have been like a two-party race,” Momodu said.
The publisher of Ovation International made the comment while reacting to the defection of Obi and Kwankwaso to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, dumped the ADC on Sunday alongside former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Kwankwaso, citing legal disputes within the coalition and a toxic political climate.
The move sparked debate about a possible joint presidential ticket between the two opposition figures in the 2027 election.
Momodu, however, warned that the political situation has changed significantly since the 2023 election and cautioned against assumptions of automatic voter retention for major candidates.
“Are you saying that Tinubu will retain all the 8 million plus people that voted for him last time? How are you sure… What is the guarantee that Obi and Kwankwaso are the only people who will retain all those who voted for them last time? The situation has changed,” he queried.
Momodu added that if Tinubu allows a free and fair election, “he might not even get 3 million votes.”
He cited the poor performance of some G5 governors who could not secure senatorial seats in their states, including Enugu, Abia, and Benue, as evidence of shifting voter loyalty.
On coalition talks, the ADC chieftain said his party remains focused and steadfast.
He welcomed those willing to join but rejected any form of blackmail or the idea that victory depends on a single individual.
“Those who want to join should join. Those who do not want to join, you cannot succumb to blackmail. That only one man can make us win,” he declared.
He noted that the 2019 alliance between Atiku Abubakar and Obi did not produce victory, while their separate contests in 2023 also failed to unseat the ruling party.
He advised political actors to remain calm, quoting his late unlettered mother: “Stop running from whatever is chasing you, because you might run into what is chasing you.”
He wished the former Anambra governor well in testing his popularity elsewhere and stressed that no one should be forced out of the race based on one person’s claims.
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