2027 Presidency: Olayinka Takes Fresh Swipe At Peter Obi, Sowore

Spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has questioned the chances of some presidential candidates in the 2027 general election, arguing that not everyone seeking the presidency is doing so with the intention of winning.

Olayinka made the remarks during an interview on Arise News while discussing the emerging political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the presence of several candidates on the ballot does not necessarily mean that all of them have a realistic expectation of securing victory. He argued that some politicians may be participating primarily to establish their presence and make an impression.

Olayinka specifically cited African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, pointing to his performance in the 2023 presidential election as part of his argument.

He noted that Sowore secured about 14,600 votes in the 2023 election and questioned how such a candidate could significantly improve his chances of winning the presidency in 2027.

The Wike aide also questioned the electoral prospects of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, arguing that the party needs a stronger grassroots structure to compete effectively for the presidency.

According to Olayinka, a political party seeking to win a presidential election must have sufficient organisational presence across the country, including candidates, campaign structures and personnel capable of mobilising voters and managing the electoral process at the grassroots.

He pointed to the party’s limited governorship presence across the states as one of the factors he believes could affect its performance in the 2027 election.

Olayinka argued that political parties need adequate representation at polling units to effectively canvass for votes and monitor the electoral process on election day.

He noted that Nigeria has 176,846 polling units and maintained that parties seeking to make a strong impact would require several trained personnel at each polling location.

The FCT minister’s spokesperson therefore dismissed the idea that political campaigns could be won through publicity and rhetoric alone, stressing the importance of a strong grassroots political structure.

His comments come amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 general election, with several opposition parties and political figures positioning themselves for the presidential contest.

Olayinka’s assessment reflects his personal view of the electoral prospects of the candidates he mentioned, while the affected candidates and their supporters are expected to make their own cases to Nigerian voters ahead of the election.