ADC Chieftain, APC Leaders Clash Over Tinubu’s Northern Support Base

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Dele Momodu, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is facing unprecedented opposition in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election, claiming the region is no longer disposed to supporting the President’s re-election bid.

Momodu made the remarks on Sunday during an interview on ARISE Television, where he argued that public dissatisfaction with the Tinubu administration had reached an unprecedented level, particularly in the North. According to him, the prevailing mood in the region suggests that many northerners have become disenchanted with the administration over the state of the economy, insecurity and other governance challenges.

“I have never seen this level of hatred for a Nigerian leader before. The North is not supporting Tinubu, and anybody who is close to the people knows what is happening,” Momodu said.

The former presidential aspirant maintained that defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 would require a united opposition and a carefully thought-out political strategy rather than sentiments. He argued that the opposition coalition should focus on presenting a formidable candidate capable of attracting broad national support, insisting that electoral victory depends on political calculation.

“Politics is a game of numbers. You can preach about zoning all you like, but if you cannot win elections, you are wasting your time,” he said, adding that only a strong candidate from the North could effectively challenge President Tinubu in the next election.

Momodu also described the ongoing debate over zoning as a distraction from the real issues confronting Nigerians. “I am not going to be bogged down by this zoning brouhaha because it has become a deliberate distraction from the important issues that we should be discussing,” he said. He stressed that political leaders should concentrate on tackling economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and governance challenges rather than allowing the zoning debate to dominate national discourse.

The Ovation Magazine publisher further urged opposition leaders to close ranks and avoid internal divisions that could weaken their chances in the 2027 presidential election. According to him, Nigerians are more concerned about finding solutions to the country’s mounting socio-economic challenges than listening to political rhetoric.

However, the immediate past National Chairman of the APC, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, has dismissed such claims, asserting that neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise enough support in the North to defeat President Tinubu in 2027. “The North is strategic in every presidential election in Nigeria. With due respect to our friends in the opposition, neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise enough support in this region to defeat President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has also expressed confidence that President Tinubu will secure more votes from northern Nigeria in the 2027 general election than he did in 2023. “I can tell you categorically, as the governor of Kaduna State, that Tinubu will get more votes in 2027 than he got in 2023. The North will massively vote for him,” Sani said.