About two months after his return to partisan politics, publisher of the Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, has joined the growing list of aspirants jostling to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023.
He made his declaration at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, after presenting his letter of intent to the National Chairmen of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, who in turn enjoined him to seek the support of party members.
The veteran journalist, who was a member of the Labour Party (LP) and 2011 presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), in October,2021, joined the PDP.
He had said he joined the main opposition party so as to play an active role in saving the nation from the unpleasant grip of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He also apologised for his role in bringing Mr Buhari to power in 2015.
Mr Momodu was among the Nigerian elite who strongly canvassed both online and offline against the 16 years rule of the PDP and the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
However, in his Thursday interview with journalists at the PDP secretariat, Mr Momodu registered his commitment to the party as well as his determination to stick to his ambition all through to the end.
He said he is better prepared for the country’s topmost political seat and is determined not to give up on his ambition, even for any of his fellow aspirants “who thinks he can buy the whole of Nigeria with his money.”
“I have been greatly humbled by the excitement already generated which reminds me of how it was 29 years ago when your good friend and my own adopted father, Chief Moshood Abiola, threw his hat in the ring.
It is very obvious that Nigerians are eager to restore that promise of hope and the accompanying peace and joy that we lost,” he said, adding that Nigeria needs urgent reset and total redirection.
Aside from Mr Momodu, Nigeria’s former Senate President, Pius Anyim, has also officially declared interest in the presidential race. He made his intention known days back as his supporters in the South-east intensified campaign.
The Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, about two weeks ago, also endorsed Mr Anyim’s presidential bid.
There are also strong indications that a former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki,and a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, may join the race for the PDP presidential ticket.
The party has yet to zone the presidency to any of the country’s geo-political zones but there is a possibility that the ticket will be thrown open to all interested aspirants to contest.
