Prominent journalist and PDP chieftain Dele Momodu raised alarm on June 10, 2025, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of steering Nigeria toward a “civilian dictatorship” through orchestrated defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Momodu decried the mass exodus of opposition figures, including PDP governors like Delta’s Sheriff Oborevwori, as evidence of coercive tactics undermining democracy. His remarks, echoing his April 2025 warnings, reflect growing fears of democratic erosion, as Tinubu consolidates power ahead of the 2027 elections, raising questions about Nigeria’s fragile political pluralism.
Momodu, a former presidential aspirant, argued that defections, such as those of Oborevwori and former PDP vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, stem from harassment rather than genuine support for Tinubu’s policies. He cited the APC’s absorption of figures like Akwa Ibom’s Governor Umo Eno and Kaduna’s Senator Musa as part of a strategy to create a one-party state, reminiscent of military-era control. “Allow democracy to breathe,” he pleaded, warning that Tinubu’s legacy risks regret if coercion overshadows his pro-democracy past.
Momodu’s critique, drawing from his exile during the Abacha regime, resonates with analysts like Pat Utomi, who decry the APC’s “godfatherism.” The PDP, reeling from defections, faces pressure to unify, as Atiku’s coalition talks falter. Tinubu’s administration, via APC’s Ajibola Basiru, dismissed Momodu’s claims, touting defections as proof of public trust. The debate, aired widely, underscores Nigeria’s polarized climate, as fears of authoritarianism grow amid economic hardship.