Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has predicted that Peter Obi could defeat President Bola Tinubu in the South-East and parts of the South-South in the forthcoming election. He also believes Tinubu could face difficulties in the North, citing the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he said supported Tinubu during the 2023 election.

Naija News reports that Momodu made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time.

Quick Takeaways

• Dele Momodu predicts that Peter Obi could outperform Bola Tinubu in the South-East and parts of the South-South.
• He says Tinubu may face a tougher contest in the North following Buhari’s death.
• Momodu argues that Tinubu needs strong support across the three southern regions to secure victory.
• He also claims that Nigerians across the country’s geopolitical zones, including the South-West, are experiencing hardship.

Why Momodu Believes Tinubu Could Face Challenges

Momodu’s forecast centres on the importance of regional support in determining the outcome of a presidential election. He argued that Tinubu would need to secure the three southern regions while also competing for votes in the North.

According to the ADC chieftain, Obi could pose a significant challenge to Tinubu in the South-East and parts of the South-South.

“Peter Obi will humiliate Tinubu and all his supporters in the South-East and some parts of the South-South, and that’s dangerous for Tinubu,” Momodu said.

He linked the potential difficulty to what he described as Tinubu’s need to consolidate support across the South while seeking votes in the northern part of the country.

Buhari’s Death and the Northern Vote

Momodu also suggested that Tinubu could encounter difficulties in the North because Buhari, whom he said supported the president during the 2023 election, is now dead.

He argued that Tinubu would have to work to secure support in the region rather than rely on the political circumstances that, in Momodu’s assessment, helped him during the previous election.

“Because for Tinubu to win, he needs to lock down all three regions in the South, and he now has to go and struggle in the North, where he was supported last time by President Muhammadu Buhari, who, as soon as he left, was blamed for all the evil in Nigeria,” Momodu said.

His comments reflect his assessment of the relationship between regional voting patterns, political alliances and the challenges facing candidates in a presidential contest. The interview report, however, does not provide polling figures or other electoral data to establish whether the forecast will materialise.

Momodu Says Hardship Affects Nigerians Across Regions

The veteran journalist also argued that hardship is not limited to one part of the country. He maintained that people across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones are experiencing difficulties, including those in the South-West.

“The Yorubas are suffering just like those from the North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-East and South-South,” he said.

The statement formed part of Momodu’s broader argument about the political environment and the challenges facing Tinubu as he seeks support across different regions.

What Momodu’s Prediction Means for the Election

Momodu’s remarks present a forecast in which Tinubu’s electoral prospects depend partly on his ability to maintain support across the South while competing in the North, where Momodu believes the political circumstances have changed since 2023.

His prediction that Obi could make gains in the South-East and parts of the South-South remains an assessment expressed during the television interview, rather than a confirmed election outcome.

The actual electoral picture cannot be established from the remarks alone. Momodu’s comments highlight the regional considerations he believes could influence the contest, but the supplied report does not include polling evidence or responses from Tinubu’s camp or Obi to independently assess the prediction.