Chuks Okocha in Abuja
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has said the party knew how to prevent President Bola Tinubu from securing a second term in the 2027 general election.
Momodu stated this during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Wednesday, insisting that the opposition was working behind the scenes to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He declined to disclose the party’s plans, saying the ADC would not make its strategy public.
“I can’t tell you about strategy in public. What we know is that once upon a time, Tinubu fought for himself to survive the second term as governor of Lagos State. So others are also working very hard behind the scenes.
“We are not going to come in public and say this, but we know what to do to make sure that he does not get that second term,” Momodu added.
The publisher of Ovation Magazine also questioned the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Tinubu’s administration, alleging that the president had appointed too many people from the South-West to the electoral body.
He claimed that many Nigerians, including some of Tinubu’s supporters, doubted whether the president would ensure a free and fair election in 2027.
“If you ask an average Nigerian today about Tinubu, do you trust Tinubu to conduct a free and fair election? I can tell you, 90 per cent of them will say no. Nobody trusts Tinubu to run a free and fair election, including his own supporters,” he added.
Momodu also dismissed suggestions that Tinubu would refuse to accept defeat if he lost the election, arguing that Nigerians’ determination could shape the outcome of the contest.
“Look, you do not know the determination of Nigerians, and now I’m not resting my confidence on just my party. I’m talking about the ordinary man on the street who cannot imagine Tinubu coming back again,” he said.
The ADC chieftain further alleged that fear had weakened checks on the president among governors, judges and legislators.
He claimed that some people publicly supporting Tinubu were privately hoping he would lose the election because they were uncomfortable with what he described as the president’s dominance over political office holders.
“Governors are scared, judges are scared, legislators are scared. So, Tinubu has become a god that nobody is ready to face and say, ‘Oga, you’ve done your best. Please go home,’” Momodu said.