Momodu accuses APC folks of “waging a campaign of calumny against Atiku”; counsels coalition to adopt democratic process to choose flag bearer from among Atiku, Obi, Amaechi
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“I have never asked anyone not to support Obi. Obi is my very good friend; today, if you ask me who to lead the coalition, it would be Obi.
“And as a democrat, I hope they will be able to do it democratically, so that they won’t say that they forced one person on them.
“Let them all go to the field, let Obidients campaign for Obi, Atikulates campaign for Atiku, and let the Amaechis campaign for Amaechi. That is my belief and I don’t think anything is wrong with that.
“I’m happy that the coalition is fully ready and prepared unlike the APC that when it started, a handful of people left a few political parties and came together.
“This time around, it’s a movement, you can see the tsunami is starting already and I’m very proud of the coalition” – Momodu.
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Dele Momodu has explained that Bola Tinubu and his All Progressives Congress (APC) are firing salvos at Atiku Abubakar and the opposition coalition because they are scared that Atiku may – like Muhammadu Buhari after several attempts – win the election in 2027 and replace Tinubu as President.
Atiku has run for President six times, which the APC people use to mock him as a “serial loser”, ignoring the history that Buhari in 2015 defeated then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in his fourth attempt to occupy Aso Rock.
The APC also rubbishes the opposition coalition.
However, the APC itself emerged from a coalition of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) founded by Buhari and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) spearheaded by Tinubu and other parties to form the APC in 2013 that defeated PDP’s Jonathan in 2015 for Buhari to become President.
Momodu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) like Atiku, argued on Channels Television that the campaign against the former Vice President is a clear sign that the APC feels threatened by him.
“The moment you see people waging a campaign of calumny against Atiku you know that they feel threatened by him,” he said.
“Even my brother, [Tinubu’s aide Daniel] Bwala, I listened to him a few weeks ago pleading with Atiku to join Tinubu.
“Since 1993 when he stepped down for my adopted father, Atiku has been pursuing his ambition without having any State governor to give him money, he has been running his business, investing in education, and agriculture.
“For me this is a good example of what a leader should be in Nigeria. You will never find a thug in front of Atiku’s house, Atiku will never call us to find someone in INEC to rig on his behalf. For me, these are things I appreciate about him and it’s my right to say those things.”
Momodu also expressed his confidence in Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), describing him as capable of leading the coalition.
However, he urged the coalition to adopt a democratic process in selecting their leader from among Atiku, Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, former Transportation Minister.
“I have never asked anyone not to support Obi. Obi is my very good friend; today, if you ask me who to lead the coalition, it would be Obi.
“And as a democrat, I hope they will be able to do it democratically, so that they won’t say that they forced one person on them.
“Let them all go to the field, let Obidients campaign for Obi, Atikulates campaign for Atiku, and let the Amaechis campaign for Amaechi. That is my belief and I don’t think anything is wrong with that.
“I’m happy that the coalition is fully ready and prepared unlike the APC that when it started, a handful of people left a few political parties and came together.
“This time around, it’s a movement, you can see the tsunami is starting already and I’m very proud of the coalition.”
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