A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, says the party is repositioning itself as a disciplined, credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can be defeated with the right political strategy.
Momodu, a renowned publisher and ADC chieftain, spoke in an interview with ARISE News on Monday, where he said the party’s ongoing constitutional review and coalition-building efforts were part of a deliberate reset to avoid the failures that plagued previous opposition movements.
“When there is a coalition, it is assumed that it is a coalition of co-joiners. Everyone at this stage is equal. What the party seeks to do is to be different from other parties,” he said.
He described Nigeria as being in “a state of anomie,” arguing that the ADC must present a clear contrast to the APC if it hopes to win national power.
“A relatively new party that wants to operate at the highest national level must be seen to be different from the ruling party. In the coming weeks and months, you will see the discipline that the party will bring on board. It is not going to be a party where anything goes, which is what we see in APC at the moment.”
Momodu said the ADC was learning from the APC’s experience in government, noting that winning power alone was not enough.
“APC has taught us that it is not enough for you to fight for power. What do you do with the power when you get it? That is why a lot of things are being put together in terms of constitution, policies and structure.”
On the strength of the ADC, he argued that the party should not be underestimated, citing the combined electoral weight of key opposition figures now aligned with the coalition.
“Any party that currently has two of the top three presidential candidates in the last election must be a serious party. When you add Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi together, the votes are voluminous. Anyone who takes such a party for granted does so at his own peril.”
Responding to questions on internal rivalry among coalition partners, Momodu said competition was inevitable in a democratic process.
“Everyone is fighting. Atiku believes he deserves the right to get the ticket. Peter Obi believes he must get the ticket. Rotimi Amaechi believes the same thing. Why would anybody want to contest an election if you don’t think you can win?”
He expressed confidence that despite multiple presidential hopefuls within the ADC, the party would eventually unite behind one candidate.
“There are so many men of timber and calibre in ADC already who want to run. One of them will get the ticket, and by the grace of God, others will support him.”
Asked directly whether either Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi should step down, Momodu rejected the idea, stressing that primaries, not consensus, should determine the party’s flagbearer.
“There is no question of stepping down for anybody. A primary is an election. Consensus is where you step down. We have not reached that stage.”
However, he made it clear that Atiku remained his personal choice, describing the former vice president as a “candidate of necessity.”
“Based on mathematics, based on experience, based on exposure, Atiku Abubakar is the most experienced man we will have in the race today. If you are looking at national formidability, it is Atiku.”
Momodu argued that Nigeria’s electoral reality required cold political calculations rather than sentiment.
“The first thing on the card in 2027 will be ethnicity. Every region is aggrieved. This is a game of numbers. You have to sit down and compute where the votes will come from.”
He warned that zoning alone could not guarantee victory, insisting that the ADC must field candidates capable of mobilising and defending votes nationwide.
“Throw the ticket open. Get the best combo. Remove emotion and sentiment. Go by raw mathematics, and you will see that Tinubu is defeatable.”
Addressing concerns about Atiku’s age, Momodu dismissed them, noting that similar scrutiny was not applied to President Tinubu.
“I don’t see much difference between the age of Atiku and Tinubu, and I have not heard anyone complain about Tinubu’s age.”
He added that Nigeria’s constitution does not mandate rotational presidency.
“There is nothing in the constitution of Nigeria that says you must do eight years here and eight years there. Power is not automatic because you come from a particular zone.”
On public distrust of political defectors, Momodu said defections were neither illegal nor unusual in Nigeria’s political system.
“There is nothing in the constitution of Nigeria that stops people from defecting. Even the constitutional provisions have not been respected by the ruling party.”
He concluded by reiterating that defeating the APC would require experience, unity and strategic alliances.
“Tinubu is not someone who will go down easily. You need people who have been tried and tested. Otherwise, let us forget it.”
Boluwatife Enome
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