An aspirant gave each delegate $30,000 during PDP primary in 2022 – Dele Momodu

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).