Atiku and Who? – Dele Momodu Shares the Presidential Ticket That Can Defeat Tinubu in 2027

Politics in Nigeria is already heating up for 2027, and Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation, is speaking plainly. 

In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, he said the only realistic way to unseat President Bola Tinubu is a strong opposition ticket that pairs Atiku Abubakar, a seasoned politician and former vice president, with a prominent southern figure; names like Peter Obi's or Rotimi Amaechi's came up.

Momodu said.

Momodu highlighted Atiku’s decades-long preparation, saying even those who once disliked him now “smell like roses” because of his persistence. He drew a parallel with Donald Trump, who faced criticism over age but still secured a second term in the U.S. as proof that political endurance can pay off.

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Yet, Momodu didn’t shy away from the challenges: he lamented defections from the main opposition PDP to the ruling APC, which have weakened alternative political options. He stressed that a united opposition is critical if Nigerians want to see a change in leadership.

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He also noted that Nigeria’s political realities and ethnic and religious dynamics are unavoidable in shaping voter behaviour. A north-south ticket could appeal across regions, but strategic planning will be key to avoiding alienating any group.

The stakes are high. Tinubu, a former Lagos governor, leads Africa’s most populous nation while it faces overlapping crises: Islamist insurgencies in the northeast, kidnappings, herder-farmer clashes, rampant oil theft, high inflation, and widespread poverty. 

Momodu hinted that only a coalition with broad appeal could realistically challenge that grip.

According to Momodu, a ticket combining Atiku’s experience and a southern partner’s influence could finally topple Tinubu, but the opposition must act decisively and unite. Without that, the 2027 election could simply reinforce the status quo.

The presidential election is going to dominate headlines as Nigerians will be exercising their constitutional right to elect a leader on a four-year mandate.

The incumbent Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be hoping to retain residence at the Aso Rock villa for another four years after he won the 2023 presidential elections with 8,794,726 votes. So far, Tinubu’s four-year tenure has been spent executing what he tags “painful but necessary” reforms like the removal of the fuel subsidy, which he unceremoniously announced during his swearing-in ceremony.

Tinubu and his vice president, Kashim Shettima, are all but certain to receive the APC presidential nomination, but they will be faced with a strong task of convincing Nigerians on why they deserve another four years running the country.

In the 2023 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) finished second with 6,984,520 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) finished third with 6,101,533 votes. Both of them have since dumped their respective parties to become members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

While the ADC is shaping up to be the leading opposition party in the run-up to the 2027 presidential election, its chances at the poll will be greatly determined by whoever emerges as its presidential nominee and the management of the potential fallout.