Media mogul and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, has issued a bold warning to those eyeing the 2027 presidential race: brace for a fierce political showdown against President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
In an interview on Arise Television, Momodu highlighted the daunting challenge ahead for opposition figures, noting that Tinubu’s influence—now reinforced by Wike’s alliance—makes any contest an uphill battle.
“Tinubu, who is already president, even when he was not president, we faced a lot of fire,” Momodu said.
“Now, when you have Tinubu and Wike on one side, then it means you have to be battle-ready; you have to assemble all your weapons and be ready for the battle ahead because 2027 is going to be like the World Cup, and you need your best players.”
Momodu didn’t hold back in his criticism of the PDP Governors’ Forum, which recently rejected the opposition coalition proposed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The coalition also includes former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and Labour Party’s Peter Obi. Despite its political weight, the PDP governors dismissed the alliance after a meeting in Ibadan.
He warned that their refusal could play directly into the hands of the ruling party.
“Opposition leaders are very determined to work together this time around. The truth of the matter is that Atiku cannot do it alone, Peter Obi cannot do it alone, and Kwankwaso cannot do it alone, and whosoever wants to run,” Momodu said.
“They have to find a way to pay the APC back in its own coin. I was one of those who supported APC in 2014 and 2015, they are going to pay them back in their own coin by at least trying to get a chunk of all the parties including APC to come together.”
Momodu also took a jab at the growing fear among opposition figures, urging them to stand firm and resist intimidation from those in power.
“People must learn from history and I’m a good student of political history. The only way Lagos State under Tinubu survived blistering attack from Obasanjo’s government was because they were able to stand alone. A bully only respects a bully.”
“But all of us are already behaving like chicken. People panic because of Tinubu—‘Oh they are going to use EFCC, they are going to arrest me.’”
Calling for courage and unity, Momodu made a passionate appeal to political actors tempted to defect.
“The thing is that we all like to read about Mandela in South Africa, we all read about the Mau Mau struggle, even in Nigeria, we had the nationalists who struggled for our independence—but everybody suddenly feels power can be offered to you on a platter.
“But I can tell you that any governor, senator, or House member who may be tempted to jump ship, may jump into the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
“That is why some of us are appealing to people that this thing is doable if they agree to work together.”
