The publisher of Ovation Magazine, chief Dele Momodu, has warned Nigerians against placing all their political hopes on Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He said the former governor of Anambra State should not be treated as the country’s only path to salvation.
While speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Momodu said the high focus on zoning and the growing belief that only one candidate can fix Nigeria are diverting attention from the nation’s deeper problems, including insecurity, poor electricity supply, and weak governance.
Momodu argued that political conversations nosedived to arguments over regional identity rather than serious discussions about leadership capacity and national development.
According to Momodu, Nigerians have become too preoccupied with where a presidential candidate comes from instead of demanding solutions to pressing economic and security concerns.
“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. 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. We have been jazzed into thinking only about what part of the country you come from,” he said.
He also accused the ruling APC of intentionally pushing the zoning debate because it sees regional sentiment as a key strategy for retaining power in 2027.
He claimed President Bola Tinubu has strengthened political divisions by encouraging a North-versus-South mindset.
He reiterated that zoning may be politically important, but it has no constitutional backing that stops either a Northerner or a Southerner from contesting for the presidency, stressing that political parties will ultimately choose the strategy they believe can deliver victory.
“Let me say zoning has suddenly become important because politicians now see it as the only credential required to win an election, especially the presidential election. The APC and Tinubu, they know very well that if they don’t drum up this issue of zoning, there is no clear path to victory for them. They know it; it’s very clear,” he asserted.
Speaking on the growing calls for a possible alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, Momodu dismissed claims that such a partnership would automatically defeat the ruling party, insisting elections are won through structure, numbers, and strategy—not online excitement.
