Are PDP governors betraying Atiku? Dele Momodu points fingers at Tinubu alliance

Veteran journalist and politician Dele Momodu has sharply criticised governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for distancing themselves from the newly formed opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

According to Momodu, their refusal to join the alliance could indicate covert support for President Bola Tinubu's administration.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday, April 14, Momodu expressed frustration over the PDP Governors’ Forum’s decision, which was announced after a meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Forum declared it would not join the coalition, which also includes former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.

Momodu warned that unity among opposition leaders is critical to challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) effectively in future elections.

"Atiku cannot do it alone, Peter Obi cannot do it alone, and Kwankwaso cannot do it alone," Momodu said.

"They have to find a way to pay the APC back in its own coin... by getting a chunk of all the parties, including APC, to come together."

Dele Momodu blasts PDP governors over coalition snub

He questioned the motives of PDP governors resisting the coalition, suggesting they may be indirectly aiding the Tinubu presidency.

"If our governors are saying, ‘Oh, we don’t go into coalitions,’ it means you are probably working for a Tinubu presidency," he stated.

Referencing Nigeria’s political history, Momodu emphasised the importance of unity and resilience among opposition forces, recalling how Tinubu’s political base in Lagos survived federal pressure during the Obasanjo era.

“A bully only respects a bully. But all of us are already behaving like chicken... people panic because of Tinubu, ‘Oh, they are going to use EFCC, they are going to arrest me,’” he said.

Momodu urged political actors to embrace collective action over fear.

“This thing is doable if they agree to work together,” he concluded, warning defectors that abandoning the opposition movement would be akin to jumping “into the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.”