Dele Momodu, ADC chieftain, spoke about the political calculations ahead of the 2027 presidential election during an interview on Nevon HQ on Friday, June 19, 2026. He argued that political actors in Northern Nigeria have largely rallied behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as their preferred candidate.
Momodu said the region had adopted what he described as a strategic approach by avoiding a situation where multiple influential northern politicians would divide support ahead of the election. He cited the political positioning of other northern figures as evidence of a broader effort to consolidate support around Atiku.
The veteran journalist and politician also drew parallels between the political atmosphere in the North and the South, arguing that both regions have shown strong loyalty to their preferred candidates.
According to him, “The north has already played a strategic thing this time. That move is so strategic that they made sure there is no strong leader competing against Atiku in the north. Now Kwankwaso is a running mate. The north will not play second fiddle. Just like in the south, they are blaming anybody who is competing against Tinubu as a traitor; it is the same way the north is treating anybody who does not support Atiku as a traitor.”
Momodu argued that the political dynamics in the North have created a favorable environment for Atiku’s presidential ambition. He maintained that the absence of major northern rivals could strengthen the former vice president’s chances of securing broad support across the region.
He further stated that regional political loyalties often influence how party members and supporters view politicians who choose alternative paths. According to him, this has contributed to the perception that those who do not align with Atiku’s aspiration are going against the prevailing political direction in the North.
