Former presidential candidate and media entrepreneur, Dele Momodu, says the opposition can only defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election by fielding a Northern Muslim presidential candidate with a Southern Christian running mate.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Friday, Momodu argued that President Tinubu had already “locked down the South,” making it nearly impossible for any Southern candidate including Peter Obi or former President Goodluck Jonathan to successfully challenge him.
“The ruling government has turned this into an ethnic battle. Tinubu has the South locked down. No one can catch up with him from that region,” Momodu said.
He warned that Tinubu’s significant financial resources and influence over state structures gave him a major advantage, adding that only a strategic Northern counterbalance could shift the electoral dynamics in favour of the opposition.
“He has a bottomless pit of resources to pour into the next election.
”To counter his dominance, a Northern Muslim candidate paired with a Southern Christian VP offers a more balanced ticket, especially given the controversy around APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023,” he said.
Momodu dismissed criticisms that such a zoning strategy undermined equity or power rotation, noting that power rotation was not enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“There’s nothing diabolical about it. When and where was it written that the North must do eight years and the South another eight?
” Even Jonathan did five years after Yar’Adua, and Obasanjo had eight before that that’s 17 years of Southern leadership, ” he said.
On recent defections from the opposition to the ruling APC including media mogul and former senator Ben Murray-Bruce — Momodu said he was not surprised.
“I watched it in disbelief because I thought he worked with us on Atiku’s campaign. But nothing surprises me anymore.
”Since 1993, I’ve seen top SDP leaders defect overnight to Abacha’s camp. It’s a combination of cajoling, coercing, and mesmerising, ” he added.
He claimed that opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi were under coordinated attacks because the ruling party views them as the only viable threats.
“When you see the ruling party constantly attacking Atiku and Obi, you know they see them as real threats, ” he added.
Momodu however warned that without unity, structure, and strategic logic, the opposition stands little chance in 2027.
“Elections aren’t won by popularity alone. If you don’t have structures and can’t protect your votes, you’ll lose. The opposition needs to be smart and organised, ” he said.
