Dele Momodu, media mogul and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has said that the growing national debate over zoning ahead of the 2027 presidential election is a deliberate attempt to divert Nigerians from the challenges facing the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, news.ng reports.
Criticising the much-publicised zoning arrangement by political parties in the country, Momodu said it has now become an option used by politicians to win elections, particularly the presidential race.
He noted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leader of the party, President Tinubu, are magnifying the concept, which he claimed would be an easy route for the party to retain power till 2031.
“The APC and Tinubu know very well that if they don’t drum up this issue of zoning, there is no clear path to victory for them,” he said.
Momodu, publisher of Ovation International, during an interview on Arise Television, observed that the zoning arrangement debate has become dominant despite pressing national issues such as the economy, insecurity, and epileptic power supply.
He stated, “I’ve been watching Arise News from early this morning to this evening. There has been no other debate other than zoning. It’s a distraction, and I can say it without any fear of contradiction that that is not what we need at this time.”
Commenting on the political predictions for future elections in the country by the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the veteran journalist said that the political permutations for future presidential elections had already been set in motion.
“Winning an election is about strategy. Those who want zoning, they have the right. I watched your interview with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso last night. Very brilliant man. I enjoyed it, but I sent you a tape earlier. I don’t know if you’ve had time to watch it. The same Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso told us just about two, three years ago that he would not be able to be a running mate to Peter Obi, and he gave his cogent reasons, one of which was that the part of the country he comes from would not vote for Peter Obi. You have the video, even if you’re not able to play it,” he stated.
He claimed that the former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has strategically positioned himself for the 2031 presidential race, taking advantage of his regional popularity.
“Also, I know that Peter Obi is targeting the 2031 elections already, so the game has already started. So his permutation is that he has to come out now and be like a lamb of God who will take away the sins of the earth, and so portray himself as a friend of the South, so that when it comes to his turn to run, he will be able to point at the fact that, after all, I sacrificed my own time for Peter Obi. Well, that’s being clever, but I don’t know. I believe in the God factor,” Momodu claimed.
Condemning President Tinubu’s style of politics, which he said creates regional divisions under the guise of national politics and encourages identification with people from the North and South rather than competence, Momodu said this is setting a dangerous pattern instead of focusing on how to channel the country’s strengths towards effective governance.
“That is what Tinubu has succeeded in doing: dividing Nigeria into North versus South. 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 hypnotised us. We are being jazzed into thinking only about what part of the country you come from,” he stated.
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