A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu played a key role in pushing opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, into working together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Momodu made the claim on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television, where he argued that the emerging unity among opposition politicians was driven more by political pressure than genuine ideological alignment.
According to him, the current coalition efforts would have been more organic if not for what he described as external forces shaping the political landscape.
“Tinubu forced all of them together, and that is why they are moving in the same direction. It could have been a beautiful development, resembling a two-party contest,” he said.
The publisher of Ovation International spoke while reacting to the recent defection of Obi and Kwankwaso to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, a move that has intensified discussions around a possible joint presidential ticket.
Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, alongside Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, exited the ADC on Sunday, citing internal disputes and legal uncertainties within the coalition.
Their defection has since sparked widespread debate over the strength and cohesion of the opposition ahead of the next general election.
However, Momodu cautioned against assuming that past electoral support would automatically translate into future victories, noting that Nigeria’s political dynamics remain fluid.
“Can anyone guarantee that Tinubu will retain all the votes he secured previously? Or that Obi and Kwankwaso will maintain their support base? The situation has clearly changed,” he queried.
He further suggested that the outcome of the 2027 election would depend largely on the conduct of the process, adding that a truly free and fair poll could significantly alter voting patterns.
Momodu also pointed to recent electoral outcomes involving some G5 governors, who failed in their senatorial bids, as evidence of shifting political loyalties across the country.
On the ongoing coalition talks, he maintained that the ADC remains open to alliances but would not be pressured into decisions based on individual influence.
“Anyone willing to join is welcome, but we cannot accept the notion that victory depends on a single individual,” he stated.
Reflecting on past political alliances, Momodu noted that previous collaborations, including the 2019 Atiku-Obi ticket and the separate bids in 2023, failed to unseat the ruling party.
He advised political actors to approach the evolving situation with caution, urging them not to act out of panic but to remain strategic in their decisions ahead of 2027.
