By Adesakin Adefemi
African Democratic Congress chieftain Dele Momodu has cautioned Nigerians against putting all their political hopes on Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Momodu said the fixation on the former Labour Party candidate and the debate over zoning were diverting attention from Nigeria’s pressing problems.
Momodu argued that national discourse had shifted away from issues that directly affect citizens, such as insecurity, erratic electricity supply, and weak governance. He said the conversation had been reduced to regional identity and personality politics instead of competence and practical solutions.
“I’m not going to be bogged into this zoning brouhaha because I’ve realized that it is a deliberate distraction from the important issues that we should be discussing,” Momodu said during the interview.
He stressed that the country could not afford to ignore its structural challenges while debating where the next president should come from.
The ADC chieftain accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of fueling the zoning debate as a political strategy to retain power in 2027. According to him, President Bola Tinubu and the APC have promoted a North-versus-South narrative to fracture the opposition and weaken any coalition against them.
Momodu described the current focus on region as a form of political hypnosis. “Instead of us now discussing we have no electricity, security is nil, and so on and so forth, all we’re now talking about is where a man comes from. I think it’s like someone has hypnotized us,” he said.
While acknowledging that zoning carries political weight in Nigeria’s electoral calculations, Momodu pointed out that the constitution does not restrict any citizen from contesting the presidency based on region. He urged Nigerians to prioritize leadership capacity over geography.
On the speculation of a political alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, Momodu dismissed the idea that such a partnership would automatically deliver victory. He said elections were won through structure, voter numbers, and strategy, not just online popularity or regional blocs.
Momodu’s comments come amid growing debate within opposition circles on how to challenge the APC in 2027. Several political actors have floated coalition talks, but disagreements over zoning and candidate selection continue to shape the conversation.
The ADC chieftain concluded by calling on Nigerians to refocus on issues of governance and accountability. He said only a shift toward issue-based politics would address the country’s deepening challenges and produce credible leadership in the next election cycle.
