Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, veteran publisher Dele Momodu has dismissed the chances of NDC’s Peter Obi, predicting instead a two-horse race between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement titled “Time for National Reconciliation, Re-Orientation & Reconstruction” shared on his X handle on Monday, the Ovation Magazine publisher described the upcoming contest as a direct clash between two dominant political figures.
“The 2027 Presidential election is expected to be a major fight between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his biggest challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” Momodu wrote. “It promises to be the battle of the Titans.”
While acknowledging the possibility of a third-force movement emerging before the polls—similar to what materialized in 2023—Momodu argued that such an alliance would lack the necessary strength to unseat the two elder statesmen.
“A third force, hopefully, may show up, like it did in 2023,” he stated, “but not with enough fire power and tenacity to upstage, and obliterate, the two elder statesmen.”
His remarks have been widely interpreted as sidelining Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election and continues to command a loyal following within Nigeria’s opposition landscape.
Beyond his electoral forecast, Momodu urged the African Democratic Congress (ADC), for which he is a standard-bearer, to evolve into a unifying platform that bridges the country’s old political order with emerging leadership. He called for a blend of veteran politicians and technocrats to strengthen national cohesion ahead of 2027.
Momodu also issued a stark warning about rising ethnic and religious tensions, cautioning that Nigeria’s political environment could face further strain if not carefully managed. He stressed the urgent need for a return to issue-based politics.
“The North and the South will reunite in a game of ethnic and religious rivalries,” he warned. “The present combustive tensions, and absolute chaos, cannot be allowed to continue. It will consume all of us.”
The publisher further lamented what he described as the erosion of ideology and statesmanship in Nigeria’s democracy. He urged political actors to embrace reconciliation, unity, and a revival of value-driven leadership reminiscent of the country’s founding figures, including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, and Obafemi Awolowo.
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