A leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of filling key positions at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with people of Yoruba origin in what he described as a bid to influence the 2027 general elections.
Dele Momodu, a media entrepreneur and ADC chieftain, made the allegation while speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday night.
“Tinubu has flooded INEC with people from Yorubaland,” Momodu said. “I’m partly from Osun; my mother is from Osun, and I can tell you that Osun people are among the most brilliant human beings you will ever find in Nigeria, and they are very serious about their democracy.”
He claimed the appointments were intended to undermine the credibility of the next polls and prevent them from being free and fair.
Momodu argued that Yoruba voters would not automatically support Tinubu despite shared ethnic ties. “They supported Adeleke because he performed, but that support is not unconditional. I can tell you today that if he tells them to vote for Tinubu, they will go against him and Tinubu,” he said.
“The most vociferous critics of Tinubu today are the Yoruba people. They are the most enlightened electorate, and I’m among these people. Unfortunately for them, when people say that Tinubu is only Yoruba, Tinubu is only about Lagos.”
He further alleged that the president’s cabinet was dominated by personal associates rather than broader regional representation. “Ninety per cent of those in Tinubu’s cabinet today are his cronies, so the Yoruba people are suffering just like those from the Northwest, Northeast, North-Central, Southeast, and South-South,” Momodu added.
The comments come amid growing opposition scrutiny of recent appointments at INEC, Nigeria’s electoral body, as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
