Not All Presidential Candidates Contesting To Win – Olayinka

The spokesperson to the FCT minister, Mr Lere Olayinka, has claimed that some presidential candidates preparing for the 2027 general election are not in the race to win but merely to establish their presence on the political landscape.

Olayinka made the assertion on Friday during an interview on Arise News, where he assessed the preparedness and competitiveness of political parties ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He argued that the number of candidates on the ballot should not be interpreted as an indication that all contenders have a realistic chance of emerging victorious.

According to him, while 19 presidential candidates are expected to participate in the 2027 election, not all of them are approaching the contest with the determination to win.
“It is not everybody that contests elections that wants to win. There are people that contest elections just to register their presence.

“Can we honestly say that all the 19 presidential candidates are contesting with the mindset of winning? The answer is no,” he said.

The FCT minister’s aide cited the performance of the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, in the 2023 election as an example of candidates he believes face significant challenges in securing victory.

Sowore polled 14,600 votes in the 2023 presidential election, a figure Olayinka said demonstrated the difficulty some candidates would face in defeating major political parties.

“How would that person win the election next year? They know that they cannot win. They are just contesting,” he said.

Olayinka also questioned the electoral strength of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party associated with former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, arguing that the party’s structure across the country would determine its ability to compete.

He said a lack of candidates and party presence in several states could affect its chances in a nationwide election.

“You don’t have a governorship candidate in 15 states. You only have it in 13. There was an election in Ekiti and Osun recently. NDC did not field candidates. How do you win an election when you don’t have people on ground to canvass votes for you and manage elections for you?” he asked.

The minister’s spokesperson stressed that winning a presidential election requires more than public campaigns and media visibility, noting that strong grassroots organisation and polling unit agents are critical factors.

He said political parties must have adequate personnel to effectively coordinate their operations across the country’s polling units.

“In Nigeria today, there are 176,846 polling units. To make good impression on election day, you need at least five people to manage each polling unit for you.

“It is not about making noise. It is about having the structure and people on ground,” he said.

His comments come amid increasing political activities ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition parties and political coalitions intensifying efforts to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).