A former local government chairman in Ekiti State and political analyst, Dr Sola Ogunsina, has questioned the electoral relevance of some of the 18 presidential candidates cleared to contest the 2027 general election.
Ogunsina spoke during an interview on Inside Scoop, a current affairs programme on Adamimogo 105.1FM, Ibadan hosted by Fortune Omosola.
Reacting to concerns that the presidential ballot may be overcrowded, Ogunsina said while democracy allows individuals and political groups to participate in elections, regardless of their perceived chances of victory, it was also important to have only those with strong personalities on the ballot.
He said the number of candidates should not, on its own, be viewed as a problem, stressing that democracy is fundamentally about providing citizens with “good” choices.
Ogunsina also noted that electoral strength cannot be determined solely by the popularity of candidates, as factors such as political organisation, party structure, geographical spread and voter mobilisation could influence the outcome of the election.
Ogunsina, who has previously served as a local government chairman in Ekiti State, asked citizens to factor in the education, financial knowledgeability and resilience of candidates to fight insecurity before voting them in.
The political analyst spoke against the backdrop of the 18 presidential candidates cleared for the 2027 election, including established political figures and relatively lesser-known contenders.
The discussion also examined the low representation of women in the presidential contest, with only two women among the 18 candidates, while four other women are contesting as running mates.
