LAGOS – In a fiery television appearance that has sent ripples through Nigeria’s political landscape, veteran journalist and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has come out in a staunch defense of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s right to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Appearing on ARISE NEWS this Tuesday, Momodu dismissed the mounting pressure on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart to withdraw, describing the calls for Atiku to step aside as a "well-coordinated campaign" of bullying that ignores the cold, hard mathematics of Nigerian elections.
As the 2027 election cycle begins to take shape, a growing chorus of political analysts and social media influencers have suggested a "Grand Alliance" between Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The prevailing theory suggests that Atiku Abubakar should serve as a kingmaker, clearing the path for this younger duo to take on the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Momodu, however, was scathing in his critique of this logic. He warned that Nigerians are increasingly confusing "internet excitement" with "electoral structure."
“Elections don’t run on emotion. It’s a shame that people don’t read. We just go on the internet and shout: ‘Once we have Obi and Kwankwaso, it is over.’ Nothing is over,” Momodu asserted.
He argued that the assumption that an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket guarantees victory is a fallacy born out of regional sentiments rather than political reality. For Momodu, the path to the Villa is paved with meticulous strategy and a nationwide network—assets he believes Atiku has spent decades cultivating.
The ADC chieftain was emphatic that Atiku Abubakar is under no legal or moral obligation to truncate his lifelong ambition to suit the preferences of the opposition’s social media wing. He described the former Vice President as a seasoned operative who is fully aware of the "delicate and tenacious" work required to win the presidency.
“This campaign against Atiku is well-coordinated,” Momodu stated. “He’s not a foolish old man; he knows that what he has built delicately, meticulously, and tenaciously, he will see it to the end. That is his business. You cannot bully him out of a contest.”
Momodu challenged the critics to provide a constitutional basis for their demands. He noted that as long as Atiku meets the legal requirements for candidacy, any attempt to force him out of the race is an undemocratic imposition.
Perhaps the most controversial segment of Momodu’s interview was his direct questioning of why the burden of sacrifice always seems to fall on Atiku. He specifically addressed the demand that Atiku should step down for Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party candidate who has become a symbol of youth hope in Nigeria.
Momodu reminded viewers of the historical context: regarding the 2019 precedent, Atiku Abubakar selected Peter Obi as his running mate during the presidential election. Despite the pairing, the ticket failed to defeat the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari.
“Why can’t Obi be his Vice President?” Momodu asked rhetorically. “He brought Obi as VP running mate in 2019; they did not win. So, why the hurry that it must be only Obi?”
He cautioned against the deification of any single political figure, suggesting that treating Peter Obi as the "only savior" of Nigeria is a disservice to the many other competent leaders the country possesses. He characterized the suggestion that a veteran like Atiku should "bow" to Obi as not just strategically flawed, but personally insulting.
“I will support my Atiku. You are disrespecting people by even suggesting that he should step down for Obi; it’s an insult,” he stressed.
Shifting his focus to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Momodu issued a stern warning to the opposition: do not underestimate President Bola Tinubu.
Despite the economic challenges facing the country, Momodu noted that Tinubu remains a formidable political strategist with deep institutional power and a significant grip on the northern electorate. He highlighted that Tinubu’s victory in 2023 was not an accident but the result of a calculated northern support base—a factor that remains a major hurdle for any opposition candidate in 2027.
“Tinubu is politically strong, particularly in the North,” Momodu observed. He argued that while social media may be filled with discontent, the "voter arithmetic" in the hinterlands often tells a different story. He suggested that unless the opposition presents a candidate with a similar level of structural depth—which he believes Atiku possesses—dislodging the incumbent will remain a Herculean task.
Momodu’s intervention marks a significant moment in the pre-election discourse. It signals a refusal by the "Old Guard" of the PDP and its affiliates to be intimidated by the "Obidient" movement or the surge of populist sentiment.
By framing the contest as a matter of "hard political calculations" versus "emotional support," Momodu has set the stage for a fragmented opposition unless a consensus can be reached that respects the seniority and structures of all parties involved.
As the political atmosphere heats up, Momodu’s message remains clear: the race for the presidency is a marathon of numbers and networks, and Atiku Abubakar, regardless of public pressure, has no intention of dropping out of the heat.
