For months, political observers have wondered which way Dele Momodu would lean. The media mogul has been courted, speculated about, and strategically positioned. Now he has broken his silence.
And the All Progressives Congress is not going to like what he said.
Momodu has declared that a presidential ticket featuring Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi would be a “formidable choice” for the African Democratic Congress. He made the statement on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, and he did not stop at a simple endorsement. He also claimed that panic has taken root inside the APC as opposition leaders begin to coalesce.
Why Atiku-Obi?
Momodu was direct about his reasoning. He said Atiku and Obi worked together in 2019, so they already share a similar temperament. “I’d pair him with Peter Obi because they worked together in 2019, so they already share a similar temperament,” Momodu said. He added that Obi came third in the last election, meaning the ADC would not have to work too hard to maintain and attract the same group of people who love him.
That calculation is strategic. Obi’s supporters — widely known as the “Obidients” — remain one of the most passionate and organized voting blocs in the country. Pairing him with Atiku, who has his own northern base and decades of political experience, could theoretically create a ticket that balances region, generation, and political sensibility. Whether that theory holds in practice is another question. But Momodu is clearly betting that it might.
The Panic Inside APC
Momodu did not limit his comments to who he supports. He also took a sharp jab at the ruling party. He claimed there is visible panic within the APC, driven by the presence of notable opposition leaders gathering under the ADC’s umbrella.
“They cannot believe that we will have maybe four or five major opposition leaders in the country, and some people will go and put fire in their houses so that none of them will be strong enough to stand against the leader,” Momodu said. That was a striking metaphor. The image of opposition figures setting fire to their own homes to weaken each other suggests a political class that sabotages itself rather than uniting against a common opponent.
He continued: “It is reality; let’s not hide behind one finger. I keep saying it, Tinubu, today, despite gathering all the governors, ministers, legislators, and what have you, you can see the obvious panic in the party.”
That is a serious claim. Momodu is not just saying the APC should be worried. He is saying the APC already is worried — and that the worry is obvious to anyone paying attention.
What This Means for 2027
The ADC has been positioning itself as a serious opposition force. The party recently defied INEC to hold its national convention, installed David Mark as National Chairman, and expelled factional members. Now a prominent media figure and political influencer is publicly floating an Atiku-Obi ticket under the ADC banner.
That does not mean the ticket will happen. Atiku and Obi have their own political ambitions and their own party affiliations. But Momodu’s comments signal something important: opposition figures are thinking out loud about combinations that could challenge the APC in 2027. And they are doing so with increasing confidence.
Momodu’s claim of panic inside the APC may be exaggerated for effect. But the ruling party would be foolish to ignore the signal. When influential voices begin rallying around specific tickets this far before an election, it shapes donor behavior, media coverage, and grassroots energy. The APC may have the governors and the ministers. But the opposition is beginning to talk like it believes it can win.
The Bottom Line
So what did Dele Momodu just reveal? He said an Atiku-Obi ticket would be a formidable choice for the ADC. He said the two men share a similar temperament from their 2019 collaboration. He argued that Obi’s third-place finish in the last election gives the ADC a ready-made base of passionate supporters. And he claimed that despite controlling all the levers of power, the APC is in obvious panic.
Whether Momodu is reading the room correctly or projecting his own hopes onto the political landscape remains to be seen. But one thing is certain. The 2027 conversation just got louder. And the APC is now publicly being told that the opposition is not just preparing — it is uniting.
