A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s experience was largely limited to Lagos before he became Nigeria’s leader, arguing that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has more experience to handle the country’s affairs.
Atiku is the presidential candidate of the ADC in the 2027 general elections.
Momodu said Tinubu appeared to have underestimated the challenges of governing Nigeria, adding that Atiku’s experience at the national level gave him an advantage over the president and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Naija News reports that Momodu made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu.
“What I’m trying to say is that Tinubu’s experience was limited to Lagos, and that is why when he became president, he thought Nigeria was Lagos. And he has found out now that Nigeria is not Lagos,” he said.
The ADC chieftain described Atiku as the most experienced among the three politicians, pointing to his long political career and time in government at the federal level.
He recalled that Atiku contested the presidential primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992 against the late MKO Abiola but later stepped down for him.
According to Momodu, Atiku accepted the outcome without creating a crisis, even after he was not selected as Abiola’s running mate.
He described the decision as evidence of Atiku’s democratic values and political maturity.
“He is the only one who started from around 1992, contested the SDP primary against Abiola and stepped down with uncommon equanimity. He did not make any noise,” he said.
Momodu also noted that Atiku was among the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and served as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.
Comparing Atiku with Obi, the former presidential aspirant argued that Obi’s experience was mainly tied to his time as governor of Anambra State, while Atiku had operated at the highest level of the federal government.
“Peter Obi has tried his best in Anambra, while Atiku’s best is at the level of vice president controlling the economy of Nigeria. The difference is clear. He has matured in experience and exposure,” Momodu said.
He further questioned the economic performance of the Tinubu administration, arguing that Nigerians were yet to experience the prosperity promised under the government.
Momodu maintained that the country’s current economic difficulties raised questions about Tinubu’s leadership and suitability for another term.
“Well, we are yet to see that prosperity, and if yesterday would determine today and tomorrow, it is obvious that Tinubu should retire now and let someone else do it,” he added.
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