Veteran journalist Dele Momodu has questioned the electoral strength of President Bola Tinubu’s growing political alignment in southern Nigeria, predicting that Peter Obi could outpoll the president in the South-East and parts of the South-South in the 2027 presidential election.
Momodu’s assessment raises questions about whether political endorsements from influential southern leaders will translate into votes for Tinubu, particularly in areas where Obi enjoys considerable popularity.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, the publisher of Ovation magazine described Obi, the former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), as a “rock star” in the South-East and South-South.
He argued that Obi’s influence in the regions could undermine Tinubu’s re-election strategy, insisting that the president would need substantial support across southern Nigeria to stand a strong chance of victory.
“The scenario is different this time. Peter Obi will humiliate Tinubu and all his supporters in the South-East and some parts of the South-South,” Momodu said.
He added that Tinubu would need to secure all three southern geopolitical zones while strengthening his support in the North, where he benefited from the backing of former President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2023 election.
“And that’s dangerous for Tinubu, because for Tinubu to win, he needs to lock down all the three regions in the South,” he said.
Despite his confidence in Obi’s regional appeal, Momodu disclosed that he was supporting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The journalist also predicted that Obi would defeat the political expectations surrounding Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s endorsement of Tinubu in Anambra State.
Soludo, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has declared support for Tinubu and was subsequently named to the president’s campaign council.
Momodu, however, insisted that the governor’s support for Tinubu would not prevent Obi from demonstrating his popularity in the state.
“I can bet my life on it that Peter Obi will humiliate and disgrace Soludo in Anambra State. I have no question about that,” he said.
The political tension comes amid disagreements between Soludo and Obi over the latter’s record as Anambra governor. Soludo has alleged that Obi’s administration left debts and unpaid salaries, claims Obi has countered by maintaining that he cleared the state’s debts before leaving office in 2014.
Momodu’s comments highlight the potential challenge facing Tinubu as political parties and influential figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 election. However, whether Obi’s popularity will translate into votes on election day remains to be seen.
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