By Stanley Onyekwere
Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has downplayed the electoral viability of several candidates in the 2027 presidential race, asserting that many are running purely to make an impression rather than to secure power.
Speaking on Arise News, Olayinka argued that the expected 19 presidential candidates on the ballot do not translate to a competitive race, citing a lack of polling unit coverage and state-level organization among opposition parties.
Olayinka noted that entering a presidential race does not always indicate a serious bid for victory.
He pointed to the 2023 performance of African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore, who gathered 14,600 votes—as evidence that smaller parties lack a realistic pathway to the presidency.
Targeting the party associated with former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, Olayinka pointed out structural gaps, including failing to field governorship candidates across major states or participate in recent off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun.
Highlighting operational demands, he stated that competing across Nigeria’s 176,846 polling units requires deploying at least five trained agents per unit.
He emphasized that media visibility alone cannot replace a ground game capable of managing election day operations nationwide.
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