‘I Would Rather Retire” – Dele Momodu Speaks On Joining APC

Former presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has addressed the ongoing defections within the party, dismissing them as part of the usual political ebb and flow that has occurred in the past.

In an interview with the Sunday Sun, Momodu acknowledged the current turbulence within the PDP but emphasized that such changes are nothing new in Nigeria’s political landscape.

When asked about the recent defections from the PDP, including the mass exodus in Delta State, and whether he was also contemplating joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), Momodu responded firmly, saying, “Impossible! I would rather retire. Leave me out of the APC matter.”

Momodu rejected the idea that the PDP’s troubles were any different from those faced by other political parties, pointing out the cyclical nature of Nigerian politics.

He noted that just as the APC had experienced multiple transitions—beginning from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to the Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and eventually the APC—so too would the PDP weather its internal challenges.

“Everything in life has its ups and downs. “But there’s nothing happening to the PDP that is peculiar to it. In fact, APC has more problems than PDP,” he said.

Momodu turned his attention to the APC, pointing out that the party’s own internal struggles were being overlooked by the public.

He criticised the APC for attacking its own members, particularly former President Muhammadu Buhari, and suggested that their criticisms were indicative of deep-rooted issues within the party.

“They were in government, their President just left power two years ago. Yet they are abusing and attacking Buhari. If they didn’t have problems, they wouldn’t be abusing their own President,” he said.

Momodu further suggested that many APC members were still vying for positions within the government, such as ambassadorial appointments and parastatal positions, and that these incentives were keeping them loyal to the party for now.

He said, “There is food for them. That’s why it seems that everything is intact. You wait till next year, when some people suddenly realize that it’s over, there is no food for them in APC. You will see how they will start moving in droves to the available parties.”

Momodu strongly criticised the APC government, alleging that it was orchestrating attacks against the opposition parties—PDP, Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—to destabilise them ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Everybody knows that in the Tinubu government, if they go for an election, a free and fair election, they can’t win. They know it because they have not been able to deliver on their promises.

“So, what are they doing? It’s to cause chaos here and there, grab some states in advance, and hope they can grab more during the election,” he said.

He maintained that if a free and fair election were held today, the APC would lose. “If they hold an election today, free and fair, there is no way they can win. It’s impossible.”

Asked how he felt about the defection of former PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, to the APC, Momodu seemed unperturbed. He referenced a similar situation from 1993 when Babagana Kingibe abandoned MKO Abiola, saying, “I didn’t feel anything because I’ve seen it before.”

The seasoned politician argued that defections are part of the political landscape in Nigeria and that such moves were not surprising or unprecedented. “So, there is nothing new,” he added.