Media entrepreneur and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dele Momodu has argued that widespread hunger and economic hardship could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027, insisting that political alliances and financial resources cannot override Nigerians’ daily struggles.
Momodu made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the political calculations surrounding the next presidential election.
“The common factor now is the hunger in the land. No permutation can beat hunger. The Yorubas are suffering, the Hausas are suffering, the Igbos are suffering, everybody is suffering,” he said.
The publisher of Ovation magazine argued that economic difficulties were affecting Nigerians across regional and ethnic lines, making the cost of living a major issue in the build-up to the election.
He also questioned whether the President’s financial resources and political influence would be enough to secure nationwide support, maintaining that voters could accept campaign inducements without necessarily voting for the candidates offering them.
Momodu cited the Osun State governorship election as an example, arguing that the distribution of money during campaigns did not prevent Governor Ademola Adeleke from winning.
He also recalled that Tinubu lost Lagos State to Peter Obi of the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election, saying the result showed that political influence did not automatically translate into electoral victory.
The ADC chieftain further questioned public confidence in the electoral process and expressed doubts about whether Nigerians believed the 2027 election would be conducted fairly.
Momodu’s comments drew a response from O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Engagement and New Media Strategy, who accused opposition figures of focusing on negative narratives while overlooking the administration’s reported economic gains.
Ogra argued that the government should be assessed using economic indicators and its policy record, rather than criticism alone.
The exchange comes as political parties and their leaders intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with economic conditions, voter confidence and opposition coordination increasingly featuring in the debate.
