The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Mr Lere Olayinka, has described some presidential candidates preparing for the 2027 general election as content creators, arguing that political visibility does not necessarily translate into electoral strength.
Olayinka made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on TVC’s flagship political programme, Beyond the Headlines, where he questioned the readiness of opposition figures to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next presidential election.
He said the presence of multiple presidential candidates on the ballot would not automatically make the contest competitive, arguing that some candidates were more interested in gaining public attention than winning the presidency.
Olayinka, who also serves as a spokesperson for the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council, focused his criticism on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore.
On Atiku, Olayinka questioned his repeated presidential bids, claiming that the former vice-president had contested for the presidency eight times since 1993.
“Someone who started contesting for president since 1993… this is his eighth time. Anytime the whistle is blown, if today they say there should be an election of president every month, Atiku would be contesting every month,” he said.
He also accused Atiku of inconsistency over fuel subsidy, recalling his reported criticism of the policy in 2022 and alleging that he later supported its restoration.
Olayinka similarly criticised Obi, describing him as a “content creator” and questioning the consistency of his public statements.
“Peter Obi is more like a content creator; he says something today, he says another thing tomorrow,” he said.
He also raised questions about Obi’s movement between political parties, arguing that internal party disagreements raised concerns about his ability to manage political organisations.
“Someone who has not been able to manage an ordinary political party… does that mean if he becomes president and there is a problem in Nigeria, he will run and go to Cameroon?” Olayinka asked.
The presidential ambition of Sowore also came under scrutiny, with Olayinka citing the AAC candidate’s performance in the 2023 election to question his prospects in the forthcoming contest.
“For instance, the candidate of AAC, Omoyele Sowore, had 14,600 votes in 2023. How would that person win the election next year? They know that they cannot win,” he said.
Olayinka maintained that some politicians contested elections primarily to establish their presence rather than secure victory.
“It is not everybody that contests elections that wants to win. There are people that contest elections just to register their presence,” he said.
He further questioned the grassroots structure of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), arguing that a serious presidential campaign required a nationwide network capable of mobilising voters and protecting votes at polling units.
According to him, social media visibility alone was insufficient to secure electoral victory without an effective political structure and grassroots support.
On the APC’s preparations for the 2027 election, Olayinka said the party was building alliances with other political groups across the country.
He cited cooperation between the APC and the Accord Party in Osun State as part of efforts to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“The APC in Osun State and the Accord Party are working together. It is a coalition. They are working to deliver votes to the president,” he said.
Olayinka also defended the administration’s performance, citing road construction, urban renewal and other development projects in the Federal Capital Territory under FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
He expressed confidence in the APC’s mobilisation strategy and coalition-building efforts ahead of the 2027 general election.
