Dele Momodu, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and publisher of Ovation magazine, has urged opposition parties to unite and strategically deploy “ethnic and religious cards” to effectively challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Momodu made the remarks in a statement shared on his official X handle on Wednesday.
Though, his remarks is coming amid a wave of defections from the PDP, including notable figures like Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri.
Momodu lamented that Nigeria has become a “one-party state” with the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlling both the executive and legislative arms of government.
He believes the opposition’s only hope lies in forming a united coalition, similar to the one that produced the APC in 2015, with a Northern Muslim presidential candidate and a popular Southern Christian running mate.
Momodu expressed skepticism about the chances of Southern candidates, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, defeating Tinubu in 2027 if they contest independently.
Momodu suggested that opposition votes can only come from prominent Northern figures like Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal, Nasir El-Rufai, and Emir Muhammad Sanusi.
By forming a strategic alliance and leveraging ethnic and religious considerations, Momodu believes the opposition can still mount a competitive challenge against Tinubu’s likely Muslim-Muslim ticket.