Opposition Chieftain Claims 2015 Buhari Coalition Aligned to Challenge Tinubu in 2027
Dele Momodu, a prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has stated that a faction instrumental in securing the election of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 is prepared to support the ADC’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election to defeat incumbent President Bola Tinubu.
In an interview on Arise News Morning Show on Wednesday, Momodu identified the group as including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal. He noted that all four are currently members of the ADC. Momodu further declared his personal preference for Atiku Abubakar as the party’s standard-bearer.
Momodu argued that the ADC should not seek to develop a new strategy from scratch, pointing to the successful coalition that elected Buhari. “To win an election is not just the crowd or the noise, not just the ideas or how brilliant you are,” he said. “Go back to the drawing board and look at how Buhari captured power in 2015.”
He contended that President Tinubu presents a formidable challenge requiring a specific approach, citing internationally recognized political patterns. “You will remember that Joe Biden was removed by the Democrats in America, then they brought Kamala Harris. She raised a lot of money … but at the end of the day she could not defeat Trump,” Momodu stated, using the analogy to argue that candidate quality and coalition-building are critical.
Momodu claimed that key figures from Tinubu’s own 2023 support base, now disgruntled, are available to the ADC. He specifically referenced members of the 2015 “gang,” suggesting some, like El-Rufai and Malami, are currently politically marginalized. “That team is waiting for ADC to capture,” he said.
Strategically, Momodu urged the ADC to focus on regions where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is vulnerable. He highlighted the North-East, Atiku’s native zone, which he claimed would be eager to produce its first president, especially as the region currently supplies the vice president from the APC.
The ADC, which counts both Atiku Abubakar and Aminu Tambuwal among its presidential aspirants from the 2023 cycle, is positioning itself as a key opposition platform. Momodu’s remarks outline a potential strategy centered on co-opting experienced politicians from the previous administration’s coalition to mount a credible challenge in 2027. The party’s ultimate candidate selection and its ability to consolidate the described faction will be pivotal to its electoral prospects.
