2027: ADC must adopt northern strategy to challenge Tinubu — Momodu

A chieftain of the opposition and media entrepreneur, Dele Momodu, has urged the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to urgently adopt a clear-cut, strategy-driven approach if it hopes to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a television interview, Momodu stressed that the battle ahead would require unity, experience, and technical planning rather than mere popularity.

He said, “What it takes to win an election is not just the crowd; it is not just the noise; it is not just your ideas; it is not how brilliant you are.

“Tinubu is so formidable that you are not just going to produce a candidate who can take him out. It doesn’t work that way.”

Momodu also emphasised the importance of political structure and experience, recalling past elections. “You need structures. I was part of the Buhari movement. The amount of money spent on monitoring every polling unit nationwide – that is what wins elections.

“The three major factors that affect elections are ethnicity, religion and a lot of cash,” he stated.

He warned: “Time is not on our side. We must come together immediately and make a decision. How? I don’t know, but it must be done.”

On the issue of party leadership and candidacy, Momodu insisted that no individual should dominate the ADC, saying, “There is no one in our party who can say he owns the party, not Atiku Abubakar, not Peter Obi; nobody can make such a claim. ADC will determine who gets the ticket based on strategy, not the dictate of one man or woman.”

He pointed out that the party already has credible contenders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, noting that, “You do not need to reinvent the wheel.” You already have people who have gone through this process and understand the challenges.”

On zoning and power rotation, Momodu dismissed the narrative of an unwritten North-South agreement as misleading. “Let us stop promoting this falsehood. There has never been a time when the North did eight years and the South automatically had to do eight years. The constitution does not stop anyone from contesting.”

He advised the ADC to focus its strategy on northern Nigeria, citing growing discontent within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

“If I am to advise ADC, go to the North, where there is crisis and dissatisfaction. Those who worked for Tinubu are angry and feel abandoned. That is where the opportunity lies,” he said.

Momodu further stressed the need for political compromise within the opposition, warning against fragmentation. “There is no time to start building from scratch. Let those who are experienced take the lead, and others can be accommodated. That is the only way to face this kind of political structure.

“We must be technical about this game. You cannot compete with Tinubu in money or structure, so you must compete with strategy. Those who have ears, let them hear,” Momodu added.