Dele Momodu, a veteran journalist and senior member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that Nigeria’s democratic foundations are under serious threat.
He believes the country is heading toward a system dominated by civilian autocrats.
Momodu expressed these concerns during an appearance on The Morning Brief, a programme aired by Channels Television on Wednesday.
He lamented that as Nigeria approaches Democracy Day on June 12, there is little to celebrate.
“Coincidentally, this is happening just before June 12,” he said.
“If we have any moral compass left, we’ll acknowledge that this democracy has been badly damaged. What we now have are leaders who behave like civilian dictators—completely indifferent to the people’s concerns.”
According to Momodu, government figures across all tiers—executive, legislative, and local—act with increasing disregard for citizens’ welfare, displaying arrogance and a lack of accountability.
“This democratic project is teetering. The level of boldness and disregard among the political class is shocking,” he added.
Reflecting on the June 12 democratic struggle, Momodu said those who sacrificed their lives for Nigeria’s democracy would be deeply pained by the current political situation.
“If they could see what we’ve become, those heroes of our democracy would be in tears,” he stated.
He also addressed the internal crisis plaguing the PDP, accusing Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of using undue influence to control the party and disrupt its cohesion ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It’s absurd that one individual, who should be focused on governing Abuja, is dictating PDP’s direction. He’s simply repeating what he did in Rivers State—now with the endorsement of top political players,” Momodu remarked.
He questioned Wike’s role in Nigeria’s democratic journey, saying, “Where was Wike during the days of the June 12 struggle? He wasn’t known. But now, he acts like the architect of our democracy.”
Momodu also blamed Wike for the recent political instability in Rivers State, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency. He described the development as unprecedented.
“A major conflict was created and escalated by one person’s refusal to step aside peacefully. That forced a state of emergency—something rarely seen in our history,” he noted.
He accused Wike of attempting to hijack the PDP, likening his actions to a political coup against the party that elevated him.
“He’s betraying the very platform that gave him prominence. Wike lacks the ethical standing to dictate how PDP should operate,” Momodu said.
He also condemned President Bola Tinubu’s comments during the reopening of the Abuja International Conference Centre, where Tinubu referred to critics as “busybodies” and “bystanders.”
“That statement was disturbing. How can a president dismiss his own citizens like that? All in defense of one man—Wike—who was celebrating a ₦30 billion project. At this rate, it feels like Wike is a co-president,” Momodu asserted.
Despite his discontent with the PDP’s current state, Momodu made it clear he would never align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“If I wanted to join the APC, I wouldn’t be making these statements. I’d be offering excuses like the rest. But I won’t sit quietly in a room where one man dominates everyone,” he insisted.
He ended with a warning that Nigeria is heading toward authoritarian rule if urgent reforms are not made.
“Yes, PDP has its internal issues. But the unchecked conduct of individuals like Wike is dragging us backward, away from the democratic ideals we once fought for,” Momodu concluded.
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