Tuesday, November 26, 2024 -Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine and a 2022 presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed regret over spending approximately ₦50 million on the party's presidential nomination form.
In a recent interview on Eden Oasis, Momodu described the
2022 primary as heavily monetized, revealing that one aspirant distributed
$30,000 to each of the 774 delegates who voted during the election.
The journalist and politician lamented the influence of money in
Nigeria’s political system, saying he would only consider running for president
again if adopted as a consensus candidate.
“Experience is the best teacher. I have come to realise that there are
powers that you can describe as principalities that control Nigeria,” Momodu
said.
“Unless a major political party decides to adopt me — where you have a
consensus of people who say Dele Momodu is best suited to change and to lead
Nigeria, then I will consider it. But if I have to pick my money to buy a
presidential nomination form of about ₦100 million… I spent about ₦50 million
to buy the form for the last one.”
Reflecting on his decision, Momodu added, “₦50 million would have
bought me a property. It was a waste. I didn’t get even one vote because
everything was monetized.”
He highlighted the financial power of some candidates, stating, “One
of the candidates paid as much as $30,000 per delegate, and we had 774
delegates. So, how do you want to compete with them? They have stolen the
country blind and are doing all kinds of deals to make money, especially those
in the oil-rich areas.”
Momodu decried the use of raw cash in Nigeria’s political process,
saying, “There’s no country where people buy raw
cash like Nigeria. The bulk of their money is not in any bank. So, they are not
traceable. If today you say to some politicians that you need $500 million to
become a president, they will find it. So, people like us, where will I start
from?”
Momodu was one of the aspirants who contested the PDP primary but failed
to secure any votes. The ticket was won by Atiku Abubakar with 371 votes,
defeating Nyesom Wike, who garnered 237 votes. Other aspirants, including
Bukola Saraki, Bala Mohammed, Udom Emmanuel, and Pius Anyim, received 70, 20,
38, and 14 votes, respectively.
Abubakar, however, lost the 2023 presidential election to Bola Tinubu of
the All Progressives Congress (APC).
0 Comments