African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and publisher Dele Momodu has urged Nigerians not to place all their expectations for the 2027 presidential election on former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi.
Speaking on ARISE News on Tuesday night, May 12, Momodu said the growing focus on Obi and the debate over zoning were diverting attention from more pressing national issues such as insecurity, poor electricity supply, and governance challenges.
He argued that political conversations in the country have become overly centred on regional identity instead of competence and practical solutions.
“I’m not going to be bogged into this zoning brouhaha because I’ve realized that it is a deliberate distraction from the important issues that we should be discussing,” he said.
“Instead of us now discussing we have no electricity, security is nil, and so on and so forth, all we’re now talking about is where a man comes from. I think it’s like someone has hypnotized us,” he added.
Momodu also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately promoting the zoning debate as part of a strategy to strengthen its hold on power in 2027.
He claimed President Bola Tinubu has helped fuel a North-versus-South political narrative aimed at dividing the opposition. He further noted that although zoning remains politically relevant, it has no constitutional basis preventing any Nigerian from contesting the presidency, regardless of region.
On a possible alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, Momodu dismissed claims that such a coalition would automatically guarantee electoral success, stressing that elections are decided by structure, numbers, and strategy rather than online popularity.
