A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has dismissed concerns that a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, would use money to unduly influence the party’s presidential primary.
Publisher of Ovation Magazine made this known Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Morning Brief’ programme while addressing questions about how the party would manage the presidential ambitions of its top chieftains ahead of the party’s primary election.
Momodu clarified that campaign funding should not be confused with bribery, explaining that money was needed for legitimate campaign logistics and election day operations.
“It’s not just about money. When we talk about money, there are logistics. We’re not talking about bribing,” Momodu said.
The ADC chieftain cited the 2024 United States presidential election as an example, noting that substantial campaign funds do not guarantee victory.
“Even in America, Kamala Harris outperformed Donald Trump in terms of raising funds. She had over a billion dollars to spend. She still didn’t win,” he stated.
Momodu explained the practical uses of campaign funds, emphasising election security rather than delegate inducement.
“You need, for example, on the day of the general elections, you need to make sure that you can manage every polling booth. Make sure nobody can rewrite your votes, nobody can steal your votes. That’s what we mean by money,” he said.
Addressing speculation about Atiku’s financial capacity, Momodu noted that the former vice president did not control state resources like some other political figures.
“Atiku is a business man. He has been a business man since he left power in 2007. He does not control any state in Nigeria,” he remarked. Asiwaju controls at least Lagos. I don’t know other states he controls personally, and he can do and undo. Wike controls Rivers,” he added.
Chuks Okocha
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