2027: Tinubu Worse Than Abacha, Has Taken Over All Arms of Government – Dele Momodu
...Says He Would Have Backed the President for Second Term If He Had Performed
The Deputy Director-General of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Momodu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of presiding over a political system worse than that of the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, alleging that the president has taken control of virtually all arms of government.
Momodu made the allegations during an interview on Arise News’ PRIMETIME programme on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
He criticised Tinubu’s political leadership and expressed confidence that the opposition could defeat him in the 2027 presidential election.
Comparing the current political climate with previous attempts at political consolidation in Nigeria, Momodu stated that Tinubu had gone beyond what Abacha did in bringing political actors under his influence.
“What Tinubu has done now is far worse,” he said, asserting that the president had extended his influence over the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
“Today, Tinubu has virtually taken over everything. The executives, the legislature, the judiciary, almost everything under Tinubu is worse than what we fought against,” Momodu added.
He recalled Tinubu’s opposition to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged attempt to bring political actors under one political platform, noting that the current president had previously positioned himself as a defender of political pluralism.
He stressed that Tinubu’s actions since assuming office had undermined the image of a progressive and courageous politician that many Nigerians once associated with him.
The ADC chieftain also alleged that governors, judges, and legislators were afraid to challenge the president, describing the prevailing political atmosphere as one in which public officials were reluctant to express dissent.
“Governors are scared, judges are scared, legislators are scared. So, Tinubu has become a god that nobody is ready to face and say, ‘Oga, you’ve done your best, please go home’,” he said.
Momodu, however, expressed optimism that Nigerians would eventually reject the president’s leadership, arguing that public dissatisfaction with the administration would have significant implications for the 2027 election.
He claimed that even some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were privately apprehensive about Tinubu securing another term, citing concerns that the situation could worsen if he returned to office.
The veteran journalist disclosed that he would have supported Tinubu’s re-election bid if the president had performed well in office, but maintained that, in his assessment, the administration had failed to meet Nigerians’ expectations.
“I personally would have supported him if he performed. But there’s no performance. Everybody is crying, and it can only be worse,” he stated.
On the prospects of the opposition in 2027, Momodu described former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the most formidable opposition candidate, arguing that his political strength across the North-West, North-East, and North-Central could give him a significant advantage.
He explained that Atiku would need to secure support from additional states to win the presidency, while Tinubu would face a more difficult contest in the southern part of the country because of the presence of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi in the opposition field.
Momodu also predicted that Obi would perform strongly in the South-East and parts of the South-South, arguing that the former Anambra State governor retained considerable popularity in those regions.
He maintained that the political influence of state governors and their endorsements would not necessarily translate into votes for Tinubu, insisting that voters could make independent decisions at the ballot box.
Citing Osun State as an example, Momodu noted that residents supported Governor Ademola Adeleke because of his performance and would not automatically follow his political preferences if asked to support Tinubu.
Similarly, he questioned the electoral value of political alliances involving influential figures, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, pointing to the electoral setbacks suffered by some members of the G5 governors’ group during the 2023 election cycle.
On the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Momodu alleged that the electoral body had been populated with people from the South-West, raising concerns about its perceived neutrality ahead of the next presidential election.
He also claimed that many Nigerians did not trust Tinubu to oversee a free and fair election.
Despite his concerns about the political environment, Momodu affirmed that the opposition was working behind the scenes to prevent Tinubu from securing a second term, adding that it would not publicly disclose all its strategies.
He maintained that Atiku remained capable of offering Nigerians what he described as “true democracy”, expressing confidence in the former vice-president’s leadership credentials.
He further stated that the 2027 election would present an opportunity for Nigerians to decide the country’s political future amid growing dissatisfaction with the current administration.
