A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has said opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, outsmarted President Bola Tinubu’s administration with their political strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Momodu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme on Friday, claimed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was unsettled by the threat of a strong opposition and was working to clear the path for Tinubu to return as a consensus candidate.
Alleged Moves to Destabilize Opposition
According to Momodu, government agents have been instigating crises within political parties by creating factions, pointing to similar developments in the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
READ ALSO: Don’t Judge Us by Outcome of August 16 By-election – ADC
He explained that ADC conveners foresaw such attempts and deliberately secured the party’s structure to prevent infiltration.
Momodu further disclosed that the opposition deliberately misled the ruling party by giving the impression they were aligning with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) or another platform, only to eventually unveil the ADC.
ADC’s Strategy
Commending the opposition coalition, Momodu said ADC leaders tightened all loose ends to frustrate external interference.
“It’s obvious that the ruling party is jittery. They don’t want strong competition in 2027. They want a sole candidate,” he said.
Momodu described how speculation grew when El-Rufai declared for the SDP, leading many to believe the coalition was headed there. “Just a week before ADC was unveiled, people thought it was ADA, then suddenly ADC came. That was a surprise,” he added.
Appeal to Judiciary
The ADC chieftain warned that the government’s alleged plan to use institutions against opposition parties posed a threat to democracy.
He accused the APC of attempting to use the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to weaken rivals and suggested the judiciary might be the next target.
“I hope the judiciary will be bold enough. There’s nothing to be afraid of. People in the judiciary should live for legacy, knowing their children and grandchildren will inherit this Nigeria. If you destroy Nigeria, where are those who did so in the past today?” he asked.
Momodu lamented that, decades after Nigeria’s return to civilian rule, some leaders still sought to hijack democracy. He urged judges to resist coercion, warning that history would not forgive those who enable the destruction of democratic institutions.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
