Why I’m backing Adeleke despite being ADC member — Dele Momodu
August 11, 2026 6:47 am
Ademola Adeleke and Dele Momodu. Photo: Sahel Standard
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, says he is backing Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party in Osun State for a second term, despite being a member of a rival opposition party.
Momodu disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, insisting that opposition parties must set aside individual interests and align behind Adeleke ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
The former presidential aspirant said he remained a proud member of the ADC.
He explained that he joined the party on the basis that prominent opposition figures decided to form a broad coalition against what he described as the “APC cankerworm.”
“I joined ADC on the basis that prominent members of opposition parties in Nigeria decided to form a broad coalition of forces against the APC cankerworm that has almost destroyed our economy, social cohesion, religious tolerance and democratic institutions and separation of powers,” the statement read.
Momodu said he had prayed against a clash of egos among opposition figures.
He added that he had hoped the coalition would not need to start afresh, since the ADC had earlier paraded the second, third and fourth-placed candidates in the 2023 presidential election.
“I had prayed fervently against the demon, and clash, of voluptuous egos. I wished we won’t have to reinvent the wheels since the ADC initially paraded the second, third and fourth leading candidates in the 2023 presidential election,” he said.
He, however, said the coalition did not eventually materialise as envisaged.
He said he had nonetheless not given up hope that Nigerians would rise against the APC.
“Unfortunately, it did not turn out to be so. But I still did not give up on the hope that Nigerians, not just the parties, would rise up massively against the APC menace,” he said.
Momodu said the time had come for opposition parties to confront reality and act with practical commonsense, adding that his decision to back a candidate outside his own party was informed by the situation in Osun State.
“It would be foolhardy not to see that with the manner APC has turned Osun State into a theater of war, the only sensible strategy is for all opposition parties to align immediately and back the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“I make this declaration without equivocation, or any fear of contradiction,” the statement read.
He insisted that his endorsement of Adeleke was not informed by friendship or family ties.
He described the governor as a global phenomenon who could defeat President Bola Tinubu in a popularity contest.
“This is not based on friendship or family ties. Governor Adeleke has been a global phenomenon who would easily defeat President Tinubu himself in a popularity contest,” he said.
Momodu further described Adeleke as primus inter pares among Nigerian governors, citing his performance across several sectors.
“Adeleke is primus inter pares amongst Nigerian Governors, in order of extraordinary performance in infrastructure, health, education, staff welfare, labour unions, IGR, agriculture, commerce, culture, women empowerment, youth integration, etc,” the statement read.
Momodu warned that opposition parties should avoid handing the APC any excuse to manipulate the outcome of the election.
“We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the Osun gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026,” he said.
Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.
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