Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart and publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has urged opposition parties to unite and deploy what he described as the “ethnic and religious cards” if they intend to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Momodu, who spoke on Wednesday via a post on his (formerly Twitter) handle, said the latest wave of defections by PDP governors, including Enugu’s Peter Mbah and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri, had further strengthened the grip of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the APC now dominates both the executive and legislative arms, pushing Nigeria dangerously close to becoming a one-party state.
Momodu wrote, “Nigeria has comfortably, voluntarily, and predictably, cruised, senselessly, into a one-party state… Both the executive and the legislative arms finally crossed the Rubicon yesterday under the grip of the ruling party, APC.”
Despite the defections, the veteran journalist insisted the opposition still had a narrow chance, but only through a strategic alliance.
He stated, “The opposition has only one option left in order to be competitive since Tinubu has already locked down the South of Nigeria. Seemingly, opposition must work speedily to lock down the North. With commonsense, this is feasible, even if difficult.”
Momodu dismissed the possibility of any southern candidate defeating Tinubu if they ran independently.
He further said, “I do not see any Southern candidate giving Tinubu any tough challenge. Not former President Jonathan. Not former Governor Peter Obi. If they run, looking more like independent candidates, they will fail spectacularly.”
He therefore called for a coalition similar to the one that birthed the APC in 2015, proposing a Northern Muslim presidential candidate with a Southern Christian running mate as the most viable ticket.
“If opposition is serious and determined to do whatever it takes, it must first unite and decide to play the ethnic and religious cards too. Opposition must pick a formidable Northern Muslim candidate with a very popular Southern Christian running mate against Tinubu’s likely Muslim/Muslim ticket,” he advised.
Momodu maintained that the opposition still had a path forward but must act decisively.
He added, “The game is not over. But it requires candidates of absolute necessity.”
