Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation International Magazine and former presidential candidate on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), who recently declared his intention to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says “there is no way” a candidate that does not belong to a party that possess “nationwide structure” can win a presidential election in Nigeria.
According to Momodu, it is possible for a party that lacks nationwide structure to win local elections — but not presidential.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with its main rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are the two major contemporary political parties in Nigeria.
“With a party that does not have nationwide structure, there is no way you can win. Your platform must be as big as your ambition. It is possible for local parties to win councillorships, House of Representatives seats or even Senate like the case of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State who won governorship on the platform of the Labour Party (LP),” Momodu said in a recent interview with Vanguard.
“If you remember, I started on the platform of the Labour Party. Even the LP chickened out; they said they were not interested, then. I moved to what I like to call the late Gani Fawehinmi’s party, the National Conscience Party, NCP. I thought Nigerians would rise up against their so-called oppressors but that didn’t happen.
“I also went back to an old book I read in school by a Brazilian author called Paulo Freire, titled: Pedagogy of the oppressed. He theorised that the oppressed man, loves only one man, his oppressor, the oppressed man respects only one man, his oppressor, the oppressed man has only one dream in his life, to become an oppressor.
“So, when you look at the situation in Nigeria, you will realise that a lot of Nigerians believe Nigeria will never change. In fact, if there is anything I ever encountered is self doubt. Many told me not to waste my time and resources that the cabal will not allow me, the owners of Nigeria will not allow me.”
