By Ameh Sunday Enyo-ojo
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has said President Bola Tinubu’s financial resources could give him an advantage in the 2027 presidential election but may not guarantee his re-election.
Momodu argued that ethnicity, religion and money were major factors influencing elections in Nigeria, but maintained that economic hardship could affect how voters respond to financial inducements during campaigns.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview in Ogun State, while discussing the political factors likely to shape the 2027 general election.
According to him, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar could benefit from his perceived support base in the North and his religious and political alliances.
“Our elections are usually decided based on three of the following. Number one, ethnicity. Number two, religion. Number three, a lot of money,” Momodu said.
He added that he believed Atiku had an advantage in terms of northern voting blocs and could appeal to voters across religious lines.
On Tinubu’s financial resources, the ADC chieftain said the president might be able to influence some voters through money but questioned whether financial inducements could secure support nationwide.
“Tinubu believes he can buy the whole of Nigeria, but my personal belief is that if he could buy the whole of Lagos, I doubt if he can use money to buy the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
Momodu argued that voters who accept money during election campaigns might not necessarily vote for the candidates offering it.
Citing the Osun State governorship election, he claimed that the distribution of money during the campaign did not prevent Governor Ademola Adeleke from winning.
“And a lot of people will take the money like they took it in Osun State. Yes, people’s eyes are wide open now that they brought a lot of money to Osun State, but they still lost the election to Adeleke Ademola,” he said.
The media entrepreneur also cited political developments in Osun and Oyo states as reasons he believes the president should be concerned about the ruling party’s standing in the South-West.
He further recalled that Tinubu lost Lagos State to the Labour Party’s Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that the outcome showed that the president’s political influence in the state did not automatically translate into electoral victory.
Momodu said growing public frustration over economic hardship could also influence voting decisions in 2027, potentially making financial inducements and ethnic considerations less decisive for some voters.
“The common factor now is the hunger in the land,” he said.
He maintained that the rising cost of living and other economic difficulties could unite voters across regional and ethnic lines in expressing dissatisfaction with the government through the ballot.
His comments come as political parties and their supporters begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with regional alliances, campaign financing and economic concerns expected to feature prominently in political discussions.
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