Chief Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation magazine, has reaffirmed his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the preferred candidate for the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Momodu stressed that while he backs Atiku, Obidients—supporters of Labour Party's Peter Obi—are free to continue their support for Obi.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Momodu explained that his backing of Atiku does not infringe on others’ rights to support different candidates, including Obi. He expressed that Atiku remains his top choice among the ADC presidential aspirants, citing him as the best option for the party.
Momodu also suggested that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) prefers a southern candidate to emerge as the ADC’s nominee because of fears surrounding Atiku’s political influence. He claimed that APC and its leaders are worried about the northern politician’s chances.
"My best choice is Atiku," Momodu stated. "And that’s what I expect Obidients to say. It’s a game of numbers, and the northern part of Nigeria, which has the most aggrieved population, is pivotal in this race."
The ADC stalwart pointed out the internal contradictions in the campaign, referencing the calls from figures like Nyesom Wike for the next president to come from the south, despite the reality that no southern candidate is viable at the moment. "The only southerner who could have stood a chance was Wike, but he is now backing Asiwaju, so he’s no longer an option," he explained.
Momodu also addressed the tactics used against Atiku, claiming that the APC's attempts to malign him were a sign of their growing fear of his potential candidacy.
He called for a democratic process where all aspirants test their popularity in the party’s primaries, maintaining that he had never discouraged anyone from supporting Obi. "Obi is my very good friend, and I believe he has leadership potential," Momodu added. "But let everyone campaign for their choice—let Obidients back Obi, Atikulates support Atiku, and Amaechi’s camp rally behind Amaechi."
In closing, Momodu reiterated his belief that Atiku exemplifies the qualities of a leader who can steer Nigeria towards progress.
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