Former presidential candidate, Mr Dele Momodu, will on Thursday, January 15, 2026, formally defect to the African Democratic Congress, marking his latest move in Nigeria’s fast-evolving opposition politics.
Momodu, a political ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is among the leading opposition figures pushing for a broad-based political coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The coalition drive, still in its formative stages, is bringing together politicians across party lines who argue that the country needs a unified opposition platform to counter the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress and safeguard democratic governance.
The declaration event is scheduled to be held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, at the new ADC State Secretariat, with prominent party officials and political leaders expected to attend.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Wednesday, the Ovation Magazine publisher expressed excitement ahead of his formal defection and urged Nigerians to rally around what he described as a rescue mission for the nation’s democracy.
He said, “It’a homecoming for me because all politics, they say, is local. Tomorrow (Thursday), I will formally join the ADC, and as a proud son of Edo State, I will be paying homage to our elders from Edo, some of whom have joined us in the ADC.
“Our leaders, such as former governor John Oyegun and ex-federal lawmaker Yisa Braimoh, will be there. After the event, I will be going to my village too to celebrate freedom with my people, many of whom have already identified with the ADC platform.”
Momodu said his defection aligns with the wider opposition effort to build a formidable coalition capable of challenging President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. The coalition initiative, championed by figures from different political tendencies, is premised on the belief that fragmented opposition parties stand little chance against an incumbent administration without a united front.
Against this backdrop, Momodu called on Nigerians to transcend partisan loyalties in defence of democracy.
“I call on Nigerians, regardless of party affiliation, to join hands in shielding our beloved country from the emerging one-man dictatorship in Nigeria. We must protect the democracy won for us by the late Moshood Kolawole Olawale (MKO) Abiola of blessed memory.
“So, whether you are in the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party, or whatever, we must come together to rescue democracy in Nigeria,” he added.
He further stressed that his decision to join the ADC was not driven by personal ambition for elective office but by what he described as a higher national interest, insisting that democracy must be protected at all costs in the interest of the nation and its citizens
