Former presidential candidate and media mogul, Dele Momodu, has sounded a warning to potential contenders in the 2027 presidential election: challenging President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike will be no small feat.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Momodu emphasized the formidable political strength of Tinubu, even before he became president—strength that is now magnified by Wike’s alliance with him.

“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.”

PDP Governors Under Fire Over Opposition Coalition Rejection

Momodu also criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum for rejecting the opposition coalition led by former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. He expressed concern that the governors’ decision might be inadvertently aiding President Tinubu’s administration.

The proposed coalition includes Atiku, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate. Despite this significant alliance, the PDP governors—after meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State—declared their refusal to join.

“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.”

He further questioned the motives behind the PDP governors’ stance:

“A Bully Only Respects a Bully”

Highlighting lessons from political history, Momodu stressed the importance of unity and resistance in the face of 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.”

He criticized the current climate of fear among opposition figures:

“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.’”

A Call for Courage and Unity

Momodu concluded by calling on political actors to show courage and resist temptations 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.”