SERIOUS CONTENDERS VS FAKE CONTESTERS: SAVING DEMOCRACY FROM POLITICAL MERCHANTS
By: Sani Abdullahi Kofar-mata
Date: 3rd May, 2026
INTRODUCTION
In every democratic society, leadership selection remains one of the most sacred and decisive responsibilities of both the people and political parties. The quality of leaders produced determines the strength of governance, the stability of institutions, the progress of the state, and the future of the nation. Democracy succeeds not merely because elections are conducted, but because credible, competent, and trustworthy individuals are chosen to lead.
Today, within our political system, we can clearly identify two categories of political contenders: the serious, genuine, and service-driven contestants, and the unserious, fake, and transactional contesters. The serious contenders are those who approach politics with vision, integrity, competence, and a sincere commitment to public service. They understand that leadership is not a privilege for personal enrichment, but a moral responsibility built on sacrifice, accountability, and service to humanity.
On the other hand, fake contesters see politics as a marketplace and elections as business opportunities. They contest not because they have a vision for development, but because they seek negotiation, personal gain, political settlement, leadership privileges, strategic advantages, and financial recovery for what they describe as their “investment.” Their politics is driven by selfish ambition rather than patriotic duty.
This dangerous practice is nothing but political deception, fraud, and what many rightly describe as “419 politics.” It is built on false promises, fake loyalty, hidden intentions, and calculated selfishness.
As the Hausa proverb wisely says, “Da mai kama ake kota,” which simply means in English, “One must be careful about whom they trust or depend on, because not everyone around is truly sincere.” This wisdom is highly relevant in politics today. Citizens must carefully study political contenders before supporting them, so they are not betrayed, deceived, or sold out for selfish interests.
POLITICS MUST BE SERVICE, NOT BUSINESS
Politics was never designed to be a business transaction. It was established as a platform for representation, justice, accountability, development, and the protection of public interest. True leadership demands sacrifice, patience, and responsibility.
Unfortunately, many individuals now enter politics with purely commercial intentions. They spend money during contests not because they believe in service, but because they expect returns after elections through political influence, leadership privileges, patronage opportunities, and financial settlements. Their objective is not leadership—it is profit.
Such politics is dangerous because it destroys the moral foundation of democracy. When politics becomes an investment venture, governance becomes corruption, and leadership becomes exploitation.
This is why the people must reject politics of business negotiation disguised as public service. Leadership is a trust, not a trade; it is a responsibility, not an investment portfolio.
THE DANGER OF FAKE CONTESTERS
Fake contesters are often experts in political manipulation. They use emotional blackmail, empty promises, false claims of loyalty, and temporary generosity to deceive party members and the general public. Their strategy is not service, but access; not leadership, but settlement.
Many of them enter contests simply to create political relevance and position themselves for negotiation with stronger candidates. Their true ambition is not to win and serve, but to bargain and benefit.
This type of politics weakens political parties, destroys internal democracy, promotes corruption, and discourages genuine and competent individuals from participating in governance. It creates leaders without vision and institutions without credibility.
Political merchants are dangerous not because they speak loudly, but because they quietly mortgage the future of the people for personal profit.
THE PEOPLE MUST STUDY EVERY CONTENDER CAREFULLY
Before supporting any aspirant, citizens must ask serious and necessary questions:
Who is this person?
What has he done for the party?
What measurable contributions has he made to society?
What positive impact has he created in the lives of the people?
Has he strengthened the APC or merely benefited from it?
Is he contesting to serve or simply to negotiate for personal gain?
What is his record of integrity, discipline, and public trust?
Does he have the competence, vision, and character required for leadership?
These questions are not acts of hostility; they are acts of responsibility.
Leadership should never be awarded based on noise, money, influence, propaganda, or temporary political convenience. A serious contender must be known by a history of sacrifice, consistency, service, loyalty, and visible commitment to the people.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION AND ELECTION OF ASPIRANTS
There must be clear standards and measurable criteria for selecting or electing anyone seeking public office. Political parties, especially the APC, must rise above sentiments and prioritize merit, integrity, and competence.
Leadership should be earned, not negotiated.
The following criteria are essential:
1. LOYALTY TO THE PARTY
A true aspirant must demonstrate genuine loyalty and commitment to the party. Loyalty is proven through consistency, sacrifice, and standing with the party during difficult and successful times—not only during election seasons.
Those who only appear when tickets are available should not be treated equally with those who have consistently defended and built the party.
2. RECORD OF PERFORMANCE
If the person has previously occupied an elective or appointed office, what did he achieve? What projects did he execute? How did he improve the lives of the people?
Leadership must be judged by measurable results, not by speeches, posters, or propaganda.
3. CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY
Even if someone has never held public office, what meaningful contributions has he made to his community? Has he supported education, youth empowerment, healthcare, poverty reduction, peacebuilding, and social development?
Service to humanity remains one of the strongest qualifications for leadership.
4. INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER
Public office demands trustworthiness, honesty, discipline, humility, and moral responsibility. A person without character cannot provide credible leadership.
Leadership without integrity is simply organized failure.
5. VISION, CAPACITY, AND COMPETENCE
Leadership requires wisdom, strategic thinking, courage, and the ability to solve real problems. A serious contender must have a clear development agenda and the competence to deliver sustainable progress.
Good intentions without capacity cannot produce good governance.
REJECTING POLITICAL MERCHANTS TO SAVE DEMOCRACY
Democracy must be protected from political merchants—those who see elections as business opportunities and leadership as private investment. Supporting fake contesters only prolongs corruption, bad governance, underdevelopment, and public frustration.
Political parties must stop rewarding opportunists who specialize in negotiation rather than service. The culture of transactional politics must be replaced with a culture of merit, accountability, and genuine leadership.
The future belongs to leaders who are prepared to sacrifice, not to those who are prepared only to negotiate.
Nations rise when leadership is entrusted to builders, not bargainers; to visionaries, not opportunists; to servants, not merchants.
CONCLUSION
Leadership is too important to be left in the hands of unserious and fake contesters. Politics must return to its original purpose: service, justice, accountability, development, and nation-building.
Citizens must become wiser and more politically conscious. Not everyone who smiles with you stands for your progress, and not everyone who claims loyalty deserves your trust.
As the Hausa proverb wisely reminds us, “Da mai kama ake kota,” wisdom, caution, and careful judgment must guide our political choices.
Whoever seeks leadership must first show evidence of service, sacrifice, sincerity, competence, and measurable contribution to the party, the people, and society at large. There must be proper standards for leadership selection so that only credible, competent, and committed individuals emerge.
A stronger APC, a better society, and a more prosperous Nigeria can only be built when politics is driven by principle—not by profit; by service—not by selfish ambition; and by integrity—not by deceit.
To save democracy, we must reject political merchants and empower serious contenders. That is the path to lasting progress, responsible governance, and a future worthy of the next generation.