Veteran journalist, publisher, and African Democratic Congress chieftain Dele Momodu has defended former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his continued participation in Nigeria’s presidential race, insisting that the opposition leader understands the political landscape and will not be pressured into withdrawing.………
Momodu made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, while responding to questions about vote totals from the 2023 presidential election and emerging political alignments ahead of 2027.
The presenter also raised concerns about shifting political dynamics, including arguments that youthful voter energy and emerging alliances could reshape the 2027 electoral contest. The question further suggested that a potential combination of Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso could influence opposition strength and possibly alter traditional voting patterns.
Responding, Momodu rejected the suggestion that such an alliance would automatically guarantee electoral victory, while also dismissing claims that Atiku lacked a strong political base.
According to him, Atiku remains fully aware of his political position and strategy. “Because Atiku knows that Peter Obi-Kwankwaso will not remove Tinubu from Aso Rock,” he said.
Momodu further alleged that there is a coordinated effort to weaken Atiku’s political relevance ahead of the next election cycle. “And the campaign, this campaign against Atiku is well coordinated,” he stated.
He added that the former vice president is politically experienced and determined to pursue his ambition. “He’s not a foolish old man. He knows that what he has built delicately, meticulously, tenaciously, he will see to the end. That is his business,” Momodu said.
The publisher maintained that Atiku’s ambition remains legitimate within the country’s constitutional framework, adding that no legal barrier prevents him from contesting: “You cannot bully him out of a contest. It is his right. If he is going against the constitution, I will not support him. But he has not done anything to go against the constitution of Nigeria.”
