A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of relying on financial inducements to secure electoral support, arguing that money may give the ruling party an advantage but will not necessarily guarantee victory in the 2027 presidential election.
He argued that financial influence remains a major feature of Nigerian elections and suggested that Tinubu’s perceived financial advantage could be used to distinguish him from other presidential contenders and attract voters.
“Tinubu believes he can buy the whole of Nigeria, but my personal belief is that if he could buy the whole of Lagos, I doubt if he can use money to buy the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
Momodu made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, while explaining the factors he believes will shape voting patterns in the next general election.
“Our elections are usually decided based on three of the following. Number one, ethnicity. Number two, religion. Number three, a lot of money. If you take all these three, one by one, and even together, you realize that Atiku is number one in terms of the voting blocs of the north. In terms of religion, Atiku is more balanced. A Muslim northerner combining with a Christian southerner. So the balance is fantastic” he said.
Momodu’s remarks followed his identification of ethnicity, religion and money as three factors that commonly influence electoral outcomes in Nigeria. He maintained that while money could favour Tinubu, the other factors, in his assessment, could give Atiku Abubakar an advantage.
Momodu said the ADC believes Tinubu’s financial advantage could work in his favour, but argued that the president would struggle to use money to win over the entire country, despite his influence in Lagos.
“Number three is what we do not have against Tinubu. Tinubu believes he can buy the whole of Nigeria but my personal belief is that if he could buy the whole of Lagos, I doubt if he can use money to buy the whole of Nigeria”
He argued that voters’ willingness to accept money during campaigns would not automatically translate into votes for the candidate offering it. As an example, he cited the Osun State governorship election, where he claimed that the distribution of substantial sums of money did not prevent the victory of Ademola Adeleke.
“And a lot of people will take the money like they took it in Osun State. Yes, people’s eyes are wide open now that they brought a lot of money to Osun State, but they still lost the election to Adeleke Ademola,” he said.
The ADC chieftain also pointed to developments in Osun and Oyo states as reasons he believes Tinubu should be concerned about his political standing in the South-West. He further recalled that Tinubu lost Lagos State in the 2023 presidential election and argued that a similar outcome could occur in the next contest.
Momodu suggested that growing public anger over economic hardship could weaken the influence of money and ethnic considerations on voting decisions. He argued that the rising cost of living and hunger could become common concerns cutting across regional and ethnic identities.
“The common factor now is the hunger in the land,” he said.
According to Momodu, the electorate’s response to economic hardship could prove more significant than financial inducements, particularly if voters decide to use the ballot to express dissatisfaction with the government.
His comments come amid preparations for the 2027 general election, with political parties expected to deploy campaign resources and pursue regional support as they seek to improve their electoral prospects. Momodu’s remarks reflect his assessment of Tinubu’s political strategy and the challenges he believes the president could face in retaining support.
