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10 reasons why some politicians who are certain they will not win the Nigerian presidential Election still waste thier money to contest . list ten of such politicians and their political party
In Nigerian politics, it is a common phenomenon for numerous candidates to contest the presidential election despite having little to no realistic mathematical chance of winning. These individuals are often referred to as “fringe candidates.” Their participation is not necessarily a delusion of grandeur, but rather a calculated move driven by the unique dynamics of Nigeria’s political, legal, and social landscape.
Based on the structure of recent elections (such as the 2023 general elections, which featured 18 presidential candidates), here are 10 reasons why such politicians still spend money to contest, followed by a list of 10 such politicians and their parties.
10 Reasons Why Politicians Contest Despite Knowing They Won’t Win
- Negotiation and Bargaining Leverage: A presidential candidacy can be used as a bargaining chip. Candidates may negotiate with major party frontrunners to drop out or endorse them in exchange for lucrative political appointments (e.g., ministerial positions, ambassadorial roles, or board seats).
- Preventing Party Deregistration: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strict rules requiring political parties to contest in a minimum number of states and secure a certain percentage of votes to avoid being deregistered. Fielding a presidential candidate is often a strategic move to keep the party legally alive.
- National Visibility and Media Relevance: Running for president guarantees national media coverage, billboard presence, and public discourse. This elevated profile can be leveraged for future lower-level elections (e.g., Senate or Governorship) or to boost the candidate’s private business ventures.
- Promoting a Niche Agenda or Ideology: Some candidates use the presidential platform as a national megaphone to advocate for specific, marginalized issues (e.g., regional autonomy, environmentalism, or anti-corruption reforms) that mainstream parties routinely ignore.
- The “Spoiler” Effect: A candidate may run with the strategic intent of siphoning votes from a major rival who shares a similar demographic, regional, or ideological base, thereby indirectly aiding another major candidate’s victory.
- Personal Prestige and Social Status: In Nigerian society, the title of “Presidential Candidate” carries immense social prestige, respect, and ego validation. The perceived elevation in social class can be a powerful motivator, regardless of the actual vote count.
- Testing the Waters for Future Elections: A presidential run serves as a low-stakes rehearsal. It allows the politician to build a national campaign structure, identify loyal grassroots supporters, and test political messaging for a more viable run in the future when conditions are more favorable.
- Financial Opportunities and Campaign Funding: The campaign process can attract donations from sponsors, diaspora groups, or interest entities. While these sponsors may not expect a win, they may fund the campaign to ensure their specific grievances or agendas are publicly highlighted, providing financial liquidity to the candidate’s network.
- Patronage and Rewarding Loyalists: Party leaders may hand the presidential ticket to a loyalist as a reward for past service or financial support. Even if victory is impossible, the campaign trail allows the candidate to enjoy the perks of the position and distribute patronage (jobs, contracts, or gifts) to their supporters.
- Placeholder or Legal Compliance: Sometimes, a party is legally compelled to field a candidate to maintain its operational status or to fulfill a coalition agreement. A willing individual steps in as a “placeholder” with no genuine expectation of winning, simply to satisfy bureaucratic requirements.
10 Fringe Presidential Candidates and Their Political Parties (2023 Election Example)
During the 2023 Nigerian presidential election, INEC approved 18 candidates. While four candidates (Tinubu/APC, Atiku/PDP, Obi/LP, and Kwankwaso/NNPP) dominated the political discourse and vote share, the following 10 candidates ran with minimal chances of winning, yet their participation served the strategic purposes listed above:
- Christopher Imumolen – Accord Party (AP)
- Hamza al-Mustapha – Action Alliance (AA)
- Yabagi Sani – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
- Osita Nnadi – Action Peoples Party (APP)
- Princess Chichi Ojei – Allied Peoples Movement (APM) (Notably the only female presidential candidate in 2023)
- Sunday Adenuga – Boot Party (BP)
- Felix Osakwe – National Rescue Movement (NRM)
- Kola Abiola – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) (Son of the late MKO Abiola, using the platform to keep his father’s legacy alive)
- Malik Ado-Ibrahim – Young Progressive Party (YPP)
- Dan Nwanyanwu – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
Note: While these candidates did not secure a significant percentage of the national vote, their participation is a recognized and legal feature of Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system, often serving broader strategic, legal, or ideological purposes beyond the simple goal of winning the presidency.
The 4 Major Contenders
These candidates had significant financial backing, national party structures, and a realistic mathematical chance of winning. They dominated media coverage and captured over 97% of the total votes cast:
- Bola Ahmed Tinubu – All Progressives Congress (APC) (Winner of the election)
- Atiku Abubakar – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
- Peter Obi – Labour Party (LP)
- Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
The Remaining 4 Minor/Fringe Candidates
These candidates also ran with little to no realistic chance of winning, often for the same strategic reasons listed earlier (e.g., party visibility, niche agendas, or preventing deregistration): 5. Omoyele Sowore – African Action Congress (AAC) (A well-known activist who ran primarily to push a radical reform agenda) 6. Dumebi Kachikwu – African Democratic Congress (ADC) 7. Peter Umeadi – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) (APGA is traditionally a strong regional party in the Southeast, but Umeadi’s presidential bid lacked the national traction of their gubernatorial races) 8. Adewole Adebayo – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Summary of the Full 18
- 4 Major Candidates (Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso)
- 14 Fringe/Minor Candidates (The 10 listed in the previous response + Sowore, Kachikwu, Umeadi, and Adebayo)
While the major candidates fought for the presidency, many of the other 14 participated knowing victory was statistically improbable, using the platform instead for negotiation leverage, media visibility, ideological advocacy, or simply to keep their political parties legally registered under INEC rules.
