Politics
Momodu Advises Nigerians Against Money-Bag Aspirants
Veteran journalist and publisher, Dele Momodu, has advised Nigerians, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to reject money-bag aspirants vying for President in the 2023 general elections.
Momodu stated this at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, shortly after obtaining the expression of interest and nomination forms for the Office of the President in the 2023 elections.
Accompanied by friends and associates, to the party’s headquarters, Momodu thanked Nigerians of all walks of life, particularly those who in his words contributed various sums of money to raise a total of N40 million to purchase the nomination forms.
He said: “I want to thank all the kind-hearted Nigerians who contributed every kobo raised so far for this laudable project. I am particularly grateful to the young Nigerians who donated from N500 to N20,000 after my appeal on social media. I am deeply touched by their act of uncommon generosity, especially because I know of their tough financial situations. It is gratifying and humbling for me that from the very little that they possess, Nigeria comes first. God will bless them.
“I am proud to stand resolutely to challenge those who feel Nigeria and Nigerians can be bought or bribed by the highest bidder. The time for the rejection of such a notion is now. Nigerians will no longer sell their soul for 20 pieces of silver, and I make bold to say that they are prepared to make this statement and are relying on the political parties for the opportunity to demonstrate that this is the case, by giving to them worthy candidates rather than a recycling of the failed so-called political juggernauts.
“I wish to appeal to all men and women of good conscience to join me in this movement to put a stop to the rascality of those who feel Nigerians are permanently helpless and hopeless and that we can be lorded upon simply because we have chosen to be silent. We will no longer acquiesce in this state of affairs. I modestly say that through our collective efforts, the silent and voiceless majority now have a voice and representative in me.
Momodu stressed the importance of settling for a President who will see the entire country as his constituency, saying, “like many Nigerians, I am vehemently opposed to ethnic jingoists who see where they come from as the only prerequisite qualification for aspiring to lead Nigeria, no matter how ugly and inglorious their past had been.
“I humbly come into this political contest with a pedigree of integrity, reputation, solid education, tolerance, business acumen, sharp vision, and competence. I possess everything it takes to win the 2023 Presidential election on behalf of my party, PDP, and I will be greatly honoured to get the ticket and support of my esteemed party for this purpose.”
He continued: “The time has come for my party, PDP to take advantage of this unique opportunity to present an uncommon candidate who is tailor-made for this moment and purpose. I am fresh and free from the usual encumbrances associated with most of our career politicians.
“Despite not being in government or power, my business and I have been one of the biggest brands out of Africa in the last three decades. I have the capacity to reunite Nigeria instantly. I am instantly recognized and warmly welcomed and received wherever I go by the generality of our people whether elites, middle class or the common man.
“Without being immodest or boastful, I am glad to profess that I have verifiably touched lives in every part of Nigeria. The youths of Nigeria and Africa see me as their role model. I have created enduring opportunities for them and used my talents and material resources to reproduce multiple millionaires in farming, fashion, music, comedy, media, events, hospitality, and entrepreneurship.
“I have personally given succour and palliatives to thousands of Nigerians in all parts of Nigeria without any discrimination whatsoever. Without access to government money or constituency allowances, I have touched more Nigerians globally than our career politicians. I have given scholarships to hundreds of indigent students at home and abroad.”
Not unaware of the role money plays in partisan politics in this part, the Momodu said a strategy that would see him coast home to victory was at hand, provided a level playing field was provided for all aspirants.
“You may be wondering how I intend to defeat the billionaire and powerful politicians in the two mainstream political parties with the reckless naira and dollar rain with which they are already flooding everywhere. I place my faith in God Almighty and in the long-suffering people of Nigeria as well as in my unblemished record of excellence, integrity, youthfulness, mental capacity, tolerance, courage, wisdom and global experience and exposure.
“It would be difficult to find anyone with more intimidating credentials amongst the members of the current political class.
“I expect our party, PDP, to hearken to the cries of Nigerians for a new type of leadership and not a rehash and regurgitation of the same monied class or cabals who have nothing but calamitous corruption, monumental misery and unprecedented disaster to offer our unfortunate citizens.
“The world has already left us way behind as a result of our addiction to narcoleptic leadership and the inability to exorcise the demons of democracy. We can rid ourselves of the manacles and shackles of the depressive state and oppressive nature created by much vaunted purported political demigods and warlords.
“By so doing, we will free ourselves from our current dire predicament and make brisk progress in nation building which is what all well-meaning Nigerians desire and deserve, desperately,” he stressed.
Momodu called on PDP leadership to throw the Presidential race open, given that aspirants from both the North and South had indicated interest in the office.
“On the issue of zoning or no zoning, I believe that allowing all aspirants to buy their forms at N40 million suggests that the race is open to all, regardless of what part of Nigeria they come from.
“It is practically and legally impossible for a political party to disqualify an aspirant on account of zoning after collecting a whopping N40 million for services not rendered. I am therefore happy to join this race and I am expecting a level playing ground for all aspirants as repeatedly promised by our respectable and cerebral national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu,” he added.
He further dismissed insinuations in some quarters that a Southern Presidential candidate cannot win the election for the PDP, describing such as “absolute distortion of facts of history and mathematics.”
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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