Geoff Iyatse

For many Nigerians, though the United States Presidential Election will hold several thousands of miles away, they are still not giving anything to chance with regard to who emerges as the US president.

It is against this backdrop that the Publisher of The Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, says he can influence the result for a former US Secretary of States and one of the aspirants, Hilary Clinton.

Already, the social media enthusiast has donated his Twitter profile photograph to Mrs. Clinton. The American politicians photograph now sits on the profile of the socialites Twitter page.

Apart from identifying with the aspirant through his profile photograph section, Momodu has declared his support for her, saying he can influence Nigerian, and other Africans, especially women to endorse her ambition.

Momodus interest in the US election, like many of his previous social media engagements, has earned him criticisms from many social media users, who do not understand the difference his support would make in the November poll.

Responding, a tweeter, Chike Irobi, wonders, the difference Momodus support for the former US first lady will make when, as a non-American, he could not vote during the election.

Mr. Momodu, you said that you are with Clinton? But what difference will it make if you cant vote? Or are you an American citizen? she asks.

Also going after Momodu on Twitter, one Dabe Akon, asks, What is the interest of Nigerian politicians in the US elections? Dont we have enough problems to battle with at home? People like Momodu should keep quiet if they dont have anything to say.

Another commentator urges Nigerian leaders to focus on local issues rather than dabbling into the affairs of other countries. These people dont even care about our existence, the tweeter said.

But Momodu, in his response, says he is a citizen of the world who is knowledgeable in the interconnectivity of human race. According to him, no individual can live peacefully in isolation.

I am a citizen of the world who knows no one can live peacefully in isolation. So many Nigerians and Africans in general have so much at stake in America. I can help influence their choice. She (Clinton) is certainly the most experienced politician in the race right now. What is required is intelligence, not muscle, he tweets.

The media entrepreneur is not the first Nigerian to campaign on social media for a candidate in the ongoing US presidential campaign. A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, had some weeks ago, declared his support for Donald Trump, one of the frontrunners of the Republican Party.

Okupes tweet stirred an online row as critics knocked him for endorsing an individual who had openly shown his contempt for the blacks.

Interestingly, Okupe tweet on Trump came a few weeks after he attacked a tweeter who compared his character to that of Trump.

Momodu and Okupe may have been acting the role a former Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, played in 2008 during the campaign of President Barack Obama.

Okereke-Onyiuke allegedly used her position to reach out to Nigerian corporate community to support the Obama campaign.

But unlike the ex-NSE boss, Momodu and Okupes involvement is in the realm of social media.

This is not the first time Momodu will be taking up a controversial campaign. The most recent of such campaigns was that of the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, during his fight to get the Senates clearance as a ministerial nominee.

Momodu had urged President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive Ameachi any sin he might have committed and to use his power to ensure his appointment got legislative endorsement. Listing achievements of the former governor of Rivers State, he went on to describe him as the lion of Africa.

For several days, Momodu, who cared a little about the insults hauled at him on social media, was a subject of ridicule on Nigeria digital space for several weeks.

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