LAGOS, NIGERIA — African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Chief Dele Momodu has warned opposition parties that adhering strictly to geopolitical zoning in the 2027 presidential election will hand an easy victory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking during a recent live television broadcast, the media mogul argued that the opposition must prioritize electoral mathematics and structural numbers over regional sentiments.
The Core Strategy
Momodu asserted that President Tinubu has effectively consolidated his political grip on the southern region. Consequently, any viable counter-strategy must leverage the massive voting population of northern Nigeria, particularly areas harboring deep economic disaffection.
“There is no basis for zoning,” Momodu stated emphatically during the interview. “Anybody who wants to remove Tinubu would have to come from the opposite direction [northern Nigeria]. If all of them are going to split themselves into pieces, and strategically, if ADC is serious now, they had better go and find an Atiku or a Tambuwal.”
Rejecting the Zoning “Distraction”
The publisher of Ovation Magazine dismissed ongoing internal party debates surrounding power rotation as a deliberate political smokescreen. He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) actively encourages the zoning narrative to divide opposition camps and prevent the formation of a unified northern voting bloc.
According to Momodu, relying on social media popularity or emotional public sentiment will not suffice to unseat an incumbent president who commands immense state machinery and financial resources. He noted that unseating Tinubu requires a formidable, heavily structured national apparatus reminiscent of the coalition that brought Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015.
Courting Tried and Tested Candidates
Delving into specific options for the ADC, Momodu named former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal as the most strategically equipped figures to spearhead the 2027 ticket. He noted that Atiku, in particular, possesses the preexisting national network, extensive political experience, and financial capacity necessary to stage a competitive challenge.
The chieftain warned that if opposition leaders continue to isolate themselves into smaller, fragmented regional political parties, they will fail spectacularly against the ruling party’s consolidated front.
