Lagos, Nigeria – Nigerian comedian and entertainment figure Gbenga Adeyinka has advised young presidential candidates from the 2023 elections to shift their focus to contesting for seats in the National Assembly. According to Adeyinka, influential figures like Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, and Kingsley Moghalu, among others, would make a greater impact by serving as lawmakers in the Senate or House of Representatives.
Appearing on a podcast published by TheCable over the weekend, Adeyinka suggested that young leaders should aim to rewrite Nigeria’s laws from within the legislative framework rather than pursuing the presidency directly. He noted that politics in Nigeria operates on a bottom-up structure, encouraging aspiring politicians to start from the grassroots level.
“No president would act without caution with the likes of Obi, Sowore, and Fela Durtoye in the Senate,” Adeyinka remarked, stressing that such a move would ensure greater accountability and effective governance.
The comedian highlighted the difficulty of securing the presidency without first navigating Nigeria’s complex political system, which favors established political actors. “You now wake up and say you want to come, and… they will not even give you the ticket. With our current structure, it takes the grace of men for you to become president,” he explained.
Adeyinka believes that young candidates have the potential to bring meaningful change, but must first build their political influence through the National Assembly, where they can enact reforms that will eventually reshape the country’s future leadership.
His comments have sparked discussions on the strategic paths young political aspirants should take to achieve their goals in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
