Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and publisher of Ovation Magazine, has called on Nigerians to unite in order to rescue the country from what he described as a creeping “one-man dictatorship.”
Speaking on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme, Momodu said Nigeria’s politics must be guided by conscience and national interest rather than personal ambition or financial gain.
“I’m happy that there are still people with good conscience who can say no to making cheap money in politics,” he said.
“If I wanted to make money in politics, I would be with President Bola Tinubu and be at the forefront, but that is not the issue.”
Nigeria’s Urgent Need for Rescue
Momodu likened Nigeria’s current state to a critically ill patient in need of immediate care. “We need to rescue Nigeria from a one-man dictatorship,” he declared.
“Nigeria needs to recover first, just like a patient taken to the hospital. Doctors focus on saving the patient and helping them recover before addressing what went wrong and moving on to development. That’s how politics should work.”
His remarks come as opposition figures intensify calls for unity and reform ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that Nigeria’s democracy must be strengthened to withstand authoritarian tendencies.
Campaign Funding vs. Bribery
Momodu also addressed issues around campaign financing within the ADC, particularly regarding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambitions.
He dismissed suggestions that Atiku had billions of dollars to bribe delegates, insisting that campaign funding should not be confused with bribery.
“It’s not just about money. When we talk about money, there are logistics. We’re not talking about bribing,” Momodu explained.
“Even in America, Kamala Harris outperformed Donald Trump in terms of raising funds. She had over a billion dollars to spend. She still didn’t win.”
He stressed that legitimate campaign funds are needed to cover logistics, including securing polling booths and preventing electoral malpractice.
“You need, for example, on the day of the general elections, to make sure that you can manage every polling booth. Make sure nobody can rewrite your votes, nobody can steal your votes. That’s what we mean by money,” he said.
Atiku’s Financial Reality
Momodu argued that Atiku does not control state resources like some other politicians.
“Atiku is a businessman. He has been a businessman since he left power in 2007. He does not control any state in Nigeria. Asiwaju controls at least Lagos. I don’t know other states he controls personally, and he can do and undo. Wike controls Rivers,” he said.
He dismissed the idea that Atiku could match rivals dollar for dollar in delegate battles.
“Atiku doesn’t have that. He’s been managing his business. So, where will he get the billions of dollars to spend on bribing delegates? That’s why they use strategy to outsmart Wike, and that’s why Wike became inconsolable. Till today, Wike has not recovered because he was so sure that nobody could match him dollar for dollar.”
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
