₦airaland Forum

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has said the party has been fair to the South and insisted that only a northern candidate can challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday, Momodu reacted to the recent defection of former Delta State governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate in 2023, Ifeanyi Okowa, describing the move as opportunistic.

“Going to the APC [for Okowa] was an opportunistic move. Why the hurry? Tinubu has not even done half-time,” he said.

Momodu also refuted Okowa’s claims that Atiku Abubakar was planning to defect to the APC. Okowa had earlier suggested, during an appearance on the same programme on Tuesday, that Atiku was on his way out of the PDP.

Responding, Momodu said, “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 added, “To say Atiku is going to APC is impossible; I can guarantee you.”

Momodu insisted that Atiku’s ambition has never dictated the direction of the PDP.

He said, “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 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 said.

Momodu also claimed that during the 2023 primaries, Atiku supported zoning the presidency to the South-East, and Peter Obi, now of the Labour Party, was “frustrated out” of the PDP. He added that Nyesom Wike, now FCT Minister, had at one point been ready to serve as Atiku’s running mate.

Coalition Politics

Responding to comments by Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who dismissed opposition coalition talks as “dead on arrival”, Momodu insisted it was worth pursuing.

“It will not happen until it has been tried and tested,” he said. “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 added, “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.”

Omooba77:
By Ayobami Okerinde

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has said the party has been fair to the South and insisted that only a northern candidate can challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.


Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday, Momodu reacted to the recent defection of former Delta State governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate in 2023, Ifeanyi Okowa, describing the move as opportunistic.

“Going to the APC [for Okowa] was an opportunistic move. Why the hurry? Tinubu has not even done half-time,” he said.

Momodu also refuted Okowa’s claims that Atiku Abubakar was planning to defect to the APC. Okowa had earlier suggested, during an appearance on the same programme on Tuesday, that Atiku was on his way out of the PDP.

Responding, Momodu said, “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 added, “To say Atiku is going to APC is impossible; I can guarantee you.”

Momodu insisted that Atiku’s ambition has never dictated the direction of the PDP.

He said, “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 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 said.


Momodu also claimed that during the 2023 primaries, Atiku supported zoning the presidency to the South-East, and Peter Obi, now of the Labour Party, was “frustrated out” of the PDP. He added that Nyesom Wike, now FCT Minister, had at one point been ready to serve as Atiku’s running mate.

Coalition Politics
Responding to comments by Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who dismissed opposition coalition talks as “dead on arrival”, Momodu insisted it was worth pursuing.

“It will not happen until it has been tried and tested,” he said. “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 added, “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.”



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/2027-pdp-fair-to-south-tinubu-can-only-be-challenged-by-a-northerner-momodu/

papyjaypaul:
It's when you have a politician in power you talk about the next election before halftime. It means that kind of person has nothing to offer but politics. They can't govern. They can't lead. Think about it. It mens Tinubu has nothing to show for that it's 2027 that's the hot topic in 2025. Normally, we would be talking about 2 years in office but we are talking about who will defeat him. What a country.

surgical:
This momodu is by style working for Tinubu, he wants to mislead Atiku by giving him false hope

papyjaypaul:
Not only him, they are many. But he's no different from Tinubu who should have let someone else run and remain the godfather he claimed to be but godfather sef Wan hustle. They are all hustlers. It's all about their bellies not the nation. Have you forgotten when they revealed Tinubu wanted to be Buhari's vice and he objected because it was Muslim Muslim? Shey they said he is the Guardiola of political talents, he can select like Ferguson and mentor like Zidane. It's all packaged lies, thank God he is now President and we can see him for who he is. Those who knew him from Lagos know they are just packaging lies for national. The same man brought Buhari to us for his selfish ambitions, he and Atiku are not really different, one of them just gbajue pass the other one. Didn't they both work together in the past? Atiku has been on this since 1993, this is 32 years. Is he and Tinubu not telling us that in 30 years, they did not know how to build young people that will lead Nigeria? Atiku worked to destroy PDP from within so that he could get the AC ticket and be president. The only reason he is not in APC today is because Tinubu is there and he can't have his way with him there. Didn't they both have deals for PDP tsunami in 2007? All of them is about me, me, me, me, me. They just want to satisfy that desire to be called president even if age or their health will not allow them to do well. They are selfish and believe they can buy everyone with money. There's no much difference between Atiku and Tinubu, it's just friends in different parties and one of them got what the other wanted badly.

Most of the elders around 80 should be ashamed of themselves.


Edit: I want Atiku to keep staying in PDP. While you may think he is the problem of PDP, he is also a problem to his friend, Tinubu. Tinubu also wants to be sure that his money bag friend won't contest against him in 2027. It is part of eliminating the competition and knowing those who can be bought. It's better not to give in easily until the final moment. APC also wants to see what cards opposition will throw at them, that's why you see them attacking Obi the 3rd more than Atiku the 2nd. Atiku is their customer and he still has a base in the North no matter what you think. Don't make it easy to predict. APC and PDP did not plan for what happened with LP in 2023 within short notice. 24 hrs is a long time in politics. No one knows tomorrow.