Lere Olayinka, media aide to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, has questioned the chances of Peter Obi and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 presidential election.
Olayinka argued that the growing number of presidential candidates does not necessarily mean all of them are entering the race with a realistic expectation of winning. He made the comments during an interview on Arise News while assessing the emerging political landscape ahead of the 2027 polls.
According to him, some candidates are primarily seeking to establish their political presence rather than secure victory.
“So it is not everybody that contests elections that wants to win. There are people that contest elections just to register their presence,” Olayinka said.
He specifically questioned the electoral prospects of the NDC and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
“Even NDC, the party of Peter Obi, they know they cannot win the election. They are just contesting to try to register their presence,” he stated.
Olayinka based his assessment largely on what he described as the party’s limited grassroots structure. He noted that the NDC had not fielded governorship candidates in 15 states, arguing that this could affect its ability to mobilise voters and coordinate election-day activities nationwide.
“You don’t have a governorship candidate in 15 states. You only have it in 13,” he said.
The Wike aide further argued that political parties require strong networks at polling units to compete effectively in a presidential election. He cited Nigeria’s 176,846 polling units and said parties need substantial numbers of personnel to manage their operations on election day.
The comments are significant as political parties continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, with opposition groups seeking strategies to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
However, Olayinka’s assessment represents his political opinion and does not establish the NDC’s actual chances of winning the election. Electoral outcomes will ultimately depend on factors including voter turnout, party organisation, candidate popularity, alliances and campaign performance.
Peter Obi was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023 and is now seeking the presidency under the NDC platform.
