Renowned journalist and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu has shared his experience during the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.
He spent fifty million naira to purchase the party’s nomination form but failed to secure a single vote.
Speaking During a podcast episode of the Key to Keys Show, Momodu discussed the financial and systemic barriers that characterize Nigeria’s political landscape. “For the last one, I spent about fifty million on buying the nomination form. Fifty million could have bought me a property, and it was a waste; nobody voted… not even one vote,” he stated.
Momodu lamented the commercialization of Nigeria’s political system, highlighting that some aspirants allegedly offered up to $30,000 per delegate to secure their votes. He described this practice as a significant obstacle for candidates without substantial financial resources.
Reflecting on broader challenges, he remarked, “There are powers you could describe as principalities that control Nigeria. Unless a major political party decides to adopt me, so that there’s consensus or people who will say, ‘Dele Momodu is best suited to lead Nigeria,’ then I can consider it.” Momodu’s experience in the PDP primaries underscored these systemic challenges.
Despite reentering politics in 2021 with the hope of advancing Nigeria’s democracy, his campaign struggled against heavyweight competitors such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The primaries, held in May 2022, were reportedly marred by intense lobbying and allegations of delegate inducement, reflecting the entrenched monetization of Nigeria’s political process. Ultimately, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the PDP’s flag bearer. However, internal divisions within the party persisted, with figures like Wike expressing dissatisfaction over the conduct of the primaries.
This disunity arguably weakened the party’s performance in the 2023 general elections, in which Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress secured victory amidst controversies.
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