A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dele Momodu, has stated that the party has been fair to the South and argued that only a northern candidate stands a realistic chance of defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Arise TV, Momodu addressed the recent defection of former Delta State Governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Ifeanyi Okowa, describing the move as opportunistic and premature.
“Going to the APC [for Okowa] was an opportunistic move. Why the hurry? Tinubu has not even done half-time,” Momodu said.
He also dismissed Okowa’s claims that Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, was planning to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress. Okowa had made the claim on Tuesday during his own appearance on the same programme, suggesting that Atiku was on his way out of the opposition party.
In response, Momodu categorically denied the assertion, saying, “The Atiku that I know is not a desperate politician; his description is that of a consummate democrat. I met him about three to four weeks ago in Abuja, and he told me politics for him is a game that should be played in a clean manner. You win, fine; you don’t, you go back to the drawing board. That is why you will never find thugs in front of his house.”
He further assured, “To say Atiku is going to APC is impossible; I can guarantee you.”
Addressing concerns that Atiku’s political ambitions may have dictated the PDP’s direction, Momodu insisted this was not the case. He argued that the PDP has maintained a balanced approach between the North and South in its leadership decisions since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
“PDP does not have a North-South problem. The PDP fielded General Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007. Thereafter, Yar’Adua came in but unfortunately passed away in office, and Goodluck Jonathan completed the term. Jonathan then did another four years, ending in 2015. They still gave him the ticket again that year, which he lost to Buhari. Had he won, southerners would have ruled for 17 of the PDP’s 20 years in power,” he said.
He continued, “People say it should be eight years North, then eight years South—under which constitution?”
“We must not run away from the truth: the PDP has been fair to the South,” he added.
Momodu also recalled that during the build-up to the 2023 general election, Atiku supported zoning the presidency to the South-East and that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, was “frustrated out” of the PDP. He added that Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was once willing to be Atiku’s running mate.
Responding to recent remarks by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described opposition coalition efforts as “dead on arrival,” Momodu maintained that such alliances are worth exploring.
“It will not happen until it has been tried and tested,” he said.
Sharing his thoughts on what strategy the opposition should adopt to successfully challenge Tinubu in 2027, Momodu stated, “I have a theory that Tinubu can only be countered this time by a northerner. Any southerner telling you they want to contest against Tinubu is only wasting their time.”
He concluded by invoking Newton’s third law of motion to explain his reasoning, saying, “The PDP or the coalition also want power, and the only way they can get it is to go by Isaac Newton’s law of actions and reactions, which are always equal and opposite. So, they will come from the opposite direction; I can guarantee that.”
