Since Nigeria returned to the presidential system of government in 1979, the nation’s highest political office has attracted some of the country’s most influential politicians, businessmen, activists and former public office holders.
While several politicians, including Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, eventually emerged as presidents through elections, many other prominent figures contested the presidency without achieving their ambition.
Some came remarkably close to victory, while others used their presidential bids to challenge the dominance of the major political parties or promote alternative political and economic ideas.
Below are 17 notable Nigerians who appeared as presidential candidates in general elections but never became president.
1. Obafemi Awolowo
The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo remains one of Nigeria’s most influential political figures and one of the country’s most prominent politicians never to occupy the presidency.
Following the return to civilian rule in 1979, Awolowo contested the presidential election on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
He finished second behind Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), securing about 4.9 million votes against Shagari’s 5.69 million.
Awolowo challenged the election result, with the matter eventually reaching the Supreme Court.
He contested again in 1983 but was once more defeated by Shagari, receiving 7,907,209 votes.
Awolowo remained a major force in Nigerian politics until his death in 1987.
2. Aminu Kano
Mallam Aminu Kano was another influential politician who sought Nigeria’s presidency but never occupied the office.
He contested the 1979 presidential election as the candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), securing about 1.7 million votes nationwide.
He performed particularly strongly in Kano State, but ultimately lost to Shehu Shagari.
Aminu Kano died in April 1983, months before that year’s presidential election.
3. Waziri Ibrahim
Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, founder of the Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP), was another prominent Second Republic politician who unsuccessfully pursued the presidency.
He contested the 1979 presidential election under the GNPP and returned to the race in 1983.
In the 1983 election, Waziri polled 643,806 votes in a contest won by incumbent President Shehu Shagari.
He became widely associated with the political philosophy of “politics without bitterness.”
4. Bashir Tofa
The late businessman and politician Bashir Tofa was the presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the historic June 12, 1993 election.
His major challenger was Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Available election results showed Abiola leading with approximately 8.34 million votes against Tofa’s 5.95 million votes.
However, the military government led by General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election before the democratic transition could be completed.
Tofa never became president and died in 2022.
5. Olu Falae
Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former finance minister, contested the 1999 presidential election that ushered in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
Falae ran on an Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All People’s Party (APP) alliance ticket against former military Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Official results gave Obasanjo 18,738,154 votes, representing 62.78 per cent, while Falae polled 11,110,287 votes, or 37.22 per cent.
Obasanjo went on to become president, while Falae did not contest another presidential election.
6. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
The late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who led the defunct Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War, also pursued the presidency after returning to mainstream Nigerian politics.
Ojukwu contested the 2003 presidential election under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He finished behind Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, securing 1,297,445 votes, representing about 3.29 per cent.
He contested again in 2007 but received 155,947 votes in an election won by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Ojukwu died in 2011 without achieving his presidential ambition.
7. Gani Fawehinmi
Renowned human rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist Chief Gani Fawehinmi also ventured into partisan politics after decades of activism.
Fawehinmi contested the 2003 presidential election on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), which he founded.
He received 161,333 votes, while incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo won the election.
Fawehinmi died in 2009 without becoming president.
8. Sarah Jibril
Sarah Jibril occupies a notable place in Nigeria’s political history as one of the women who challenged the longstanding male dominance of presidential politics.
She became the first Nigerian woman to contest a presidential election as the candidate of a registered political party.
Jibril appeared on the ballot in the 2003 presidential election and received 157,560 votes.
She later sought presidential nominations through party primaries, including the PDP presidential ticket ahead of the 2011 election.
She has never been elected president.
9. Orji Uzor Kalu
Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu joined the presidential race in 2007 while completing his second term as governor.
He contested under the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
Kalu finished behind Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, polling 608,833 votes, according to results reproduced in an International Republican Institute report.
He later remained active in national politics and became a senator but never secured the presidency.
10. Chris Okotie
Clergyman and politician Chris Okotie is among the Nigerians who have made several unsuccessful attempts to become president.
He first appeared on the presidential ballot in 2003 as the candidate of the Justice Party.
He returned in 2007 under the Fresh Democratic Party and contested again in 2011.
Despite his repeated attempts, Okotie never won the presidency, becoming one of the most recognisable minor-party presidential candidates of the Fourth Republic.
11. Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is arguably one of the most prominent contemporary Nigerian politicians to have repeatedly sought the presidency without winning it.
Atiku served as vice president under Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007 before contesting his first presidential election in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress.
He lost to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Atiku returned as the PDP presidential candidate in 2019 but was defeated by incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari. INEC figures showed Buhari receiving 15,191,847 votes against Atiku’s 11,262,978.
In 2023, Atiku secured the PDP ticket again and finished second behind Bola Tinubu. Tinubu received 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku polled 6,984,520 votes, according to official results.
Although Atiku has sought the presidency and party nominations several times, he has appeared on the general-election presidential ballot three times—2007, 2019 and 2023—without winning.
12. Nuhu Ribadu
Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, contested the presidency in 2011.
Ribadu was the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), with businessman Fola Adeola as his running mate.
He finished third with 2,079,151 votes, behind eventual winner Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
Ribadu later continued his involvement in public service and politics but never became president.
13. Dele Momodu
Media entrepreneur and politician Dele Momodu also entered the presidential race in 2011.
Momodu contested under the National Conscience Party and received 26,376 votes in the election won by Goodluck Jonathan.
He later joined the PDP and sought its presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 election but failed to secure the nomination.
14. Omoyele Sowore
Publisher and activist Omoyele Sowore has contested Nigeria’s presidency twice.
Sowore founded the African Action Congress (AAC) and contested the 2019 presidential election, where he received 33,953 votes according to INEC’s declared results.
He returned as the AAC presidential candidate in 2023 and polled 14,608 votes.
Bola Tinubu won the 2023 election, leaving Sowore without the presidency after two attempts.
15. Kingsley Moghalu
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, joined the presidential race in 2019.
He contested under the Young Progressives Party (YPP), campaigning on issues including economic reform, good governance and an alternative to the dominance of Nigeria’s two major political parties.
Moghalu received 21,886 votes in the 2019 election.
He later explored another presidential bid but did not appear on the 2023 presidential ballot.
16. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso contested his first general-election presidential race in 2023.
He became the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) after previously seeking presidential nominations under other political platforms.
Kwankwaso finished fourth nationally with 1,496,687 votes, although he secured a significant victory for his party in Kano State.
He finished behind Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
17. Peter Obi
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi emerged as one of the strongest third-party presidential candidates in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic when he contested the 2023 election.
Obi, who served as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the PDP ticket in 2019, left the party ahead of the 2023 election and secured the presidential ticket of the Labour Party.
He finished third nationally with 6,101,533 votes, behind Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar.
Obi won 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the election.
He subsequently challenged the outcome in court, but Tinubu’s victory was ultimately upheld.
Despite his strong showing in 2023, Peter Obi remains among the prominent Nigerians who have contested the presidency without being elected.