Veteran journalist and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, has claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government is afraid of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the emerging opposition coalition.
Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today program on Monday, Momodu argued that the ongoing campaign of calumny against Atiku clearly indicates that the ruling party feels threatened by his political influence.
"The moment you see people waving a campaign of calumny against Atiku, you know that they feel threatened by him," Momodu stated during the interview.
The media mogul highlighted Atiku's political journey and business acumen, noting: "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."
Momodu praised Atiku's leadership qualities, emphasizing that "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."
Coalition Leadership Prospects
Interestingly, while defending Atiku, Momodu also expressed confidence in Peter Obi's capability to lead the opposition coalition. He suggested that democratic processes should determine the coalition's leadership from among potential candidates including Obi, Atiku, and Rotimi Amaechi.
"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," Momodu revealed.
He advocated for a democratic selection process: "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."
The former presidential candidate expressed optimism about the coalition's prospects, describing it as a movement rather than merely a political alliance. "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," he added.
Political analysts suggest that the emerging opposition coalition could significantly reshape Nigeria's political landscape ahead of future elections, potentially presenting a formidable challenge to the ruling APC.
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