RismadarVoice Reporters
May 13, 2026
A Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has described the growing debate over zoning ahead of the 2027 presidential election as a calculated distraction from Nigeria’s pressing socio-economic and security challenges.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Momodu accused politicians of diverting public attention from critical national issues by focusing excessively on regional power rotation and ethnic considerations.
According to him, Nigerians have been “hypnotised” into worrying about “where a man comes from” while the country battles severe hardship, insecurity and poor infrastructure.
“We have no electricity, security is nil,” he said, arguing that governance failures should take precedence over zoning discussions.
Momodu further alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was deliberately amplifying the zoning debate because it lacks a clear electoral advantage ahead of the next general election.
“They know very well that if they don’t drum up this issue, there is no clear path to victory for them,” he stated.
He also accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deepening political divisions in the country.
“That is what Tinubu has succeeded in doing: dividing Nigeria into North versus South,” Momodu said.
On opposition politics, the media entrepreneur rejected calls for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step aside for Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential race.
He described such pressure as “an insult” and an attempt to undermine Atiku’s democratic rights.
“This campaign against Atiku is well-coordinated,” he said. “You cannot bully him out of a contest; it is his right.”
Momodu recalled that Atiku had previously selected Obi as his running mate during the 2019 presidential election, noting that the ticket was unsuccessful at the polls.
“He brought Obi as VP running mate in 2019; they did not win. So, why the hurry that it must be only Obi?” he queried.
He also cautioned Nigerians against what he described as “messiah politics,” warning against portraying any candidate as the sole solution to the country’s problems.
“I still don’t understand why everybody is acting like we have Jesus Christ in our hands,” he said. “If we don’t support him, we’re all going to perish.”
Momodu maintained that the 2027 election would be determined by political calculations and structures rather than emotions or online popularity.
“Elections don’t run on emotion,” he said. “We just go on the internet and shout: ‘Once we have Obi and Kwankwaso, it is over.’ Nothing is over.”
He further warned opposition supporters against underestimating President Tinubu’s political strength and influence ahead of the next election cycle.
“Tinubu did better than Peter Obi in the North,” he noted, adding, “You are underestimating a man who can open the vault of Nigeria and waste it all on an election.”
