ADC chieftain and veteran journalist, Bashorun Dele Momodu, has described the growing debate over presidential zoning ahead of the 2027 elections as a deliberate distraction from Nigeria’s pressing national challenges.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Momodu argued that politicians have shifted public attention away from insecurity, poor electricity supply, and governance failures by focusing excessively on regional politics and ethnic divisions.
“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. 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. We have been jazzed into thinking only about what part of the country you come from,” he said.
Momodu argued that the ruling APC has continued to amplify the zoning debate because it believes regional sentiments remain crucial to securing electoral victory in 2027. According to him, the issue has now overshadowed more pressing conversations about governance and national development.
“Let me say zoning has suddenly become important because politicians now see it as the only credential required to win an election, especially the presidential election. The APC and Tinubu, they know very well that if they don’t drum up this issue of zoning, there is no clear path to victory for them. They know it; it’s very clear,” he asserted.
He further alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s politics has deepened regional divisions across the country, creating an atmosphere where Nigerians increasingly view political issues through a North-versus-South lens.
“That is what Tinubu has succeeded in doing: dividing Nigeria into North versus South,” he alleged.
Responding to concerns that ignoring zoning could alienate Southern voters, Momodu insisted that politics ultimately revolves around winning elections through numbers and effective strategy rather than sentiment.
“Politics is a game of numbers. You can be sanctimonious, you can preach for as long as you want about zoning. If you’re not able to win elections, you’re wasting your time.”
He argued that although zoning remains an important political conversation in Nigeria, it is not backed by any constitutional provision preventing either a Northerner or Southerner from contesting the presidency.
“Since there is nothing in the Constitution that says a Northerner cannot run, a Southerner cannot run, it is the decision of the party that matters. It is the party that will determine which strategy favors it best. You cannot say because you want a Southerner to run, therefore you are ready to take a risk and continue to run the race,” he explained.
Speaking more on the growing debate over zoning and opposition strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Momodu argued that electoral success in Nigeria does not depend on regional sentiment or online popularity.
“Elections don’t run on emotion. It’s a shame that people don’t read. We just go on the internet and shout: ‘Once we have Obi and Kwankwaso, it is over.’ Nothing is over.”
Responding to arguments that youthful energy and a possible Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso alliance could reshape the 2027 presidential election, Momodu maintained that Atiku Abubakar cannot be pressured out of the race.
“This campaign against Atiku, is well-coordinated. He’s not a foolish old man; he knows that what he has built delicately, meticulously, and tenaciously, he will see it to the end. That is his business. 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,” he stated.
Questioning why Atiku is consistently being asked to step down for Obi, he recalled that the former vice president selected Obi as his running mate in 2019, yet the ticket still lost the election.
“Why can’t Obi be his Vice President? He brought Obi as VP running mate in 2019; they did not win. So, why the hurry that it must be only Obi?,” he quizzed.
Commenting on the growing popularity of Obi among young Nigerians, the ADC chieftain warned against elevating any single politician into a political saviour, insisting that Nigeria has many qualified individuals capable of leading the country.
“I still don’t understand why everybody is acting like we have a Jesus Christ in our hands and if we don’t support him, we’re all going to perish. I disagree with you on that. Go and check the records of each and every one of the aspirants in the ADC,” he maintained.
Dismissing calls for Atiku to step down for Peter Obi, Momodu called the suggestion disrespectful, insisting Atiku’s long political career makes him a legitimate contender and support for any candidate ahead of 2027 remains a free political choice.
“I will support my Atiku. You are disrespecting people, right, by even suggesting that he should step down for Obi; it’s an insult,” he stressed.
According to Momodu, President Tinubu should not be underestimated, noting that the incumbent already enjoys strong footholds in several northern states and retains significant institutional advantage.
“Tinubu did better than Peter Obi in the North; that is why he was able to amass all those votes. Tinubu is clearly in charge of a lot of states in the North. You are underestimating a man who can open the vault of Nigeria and waste it all on an election,” Momodu said.
He concluded: “I’ve been following presidential elections since 1993, and trust me, it is pure mathematics.”
Favour Odima
