Former presidential aspirant and Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu has described the processes involved in winning a presidential election.
The popular journalist made this known in an interview with The Sun published on Sunday.
The well-travelled Momodu said he came by the knowledge after extensive study of presidential elections all over the world.
Momodu contested and lost the 2011 presidential election to then incumbent, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, but he said he has now discovered the secrets to winning a presidential election.
Asked if he still nursed an ambition for political office in the 2019 election, the 58-year-old socio-political commentator answered to the contrary.
However, he said preparedness, readiness and tenacity were necessary requirements to win a presidential election.
Momodu said, “No. I contested in 2011 against President Goodluck Jonathan and President Mohammadu Buhari and a few other people and, of course, I lost. But I gained a lot from it. I gained experience, I gained exposure and visibility. The experience is still very much with me. What I have also done is to study presidential elections globally, look at winners and losers. There is a pattern to it. And that pattern is that you cannot ordinarily win an election if you are not prepared. This means, if you aspire to be a president of a country, there is a process of preparation. So, I don’t think I’m prepared now based on my past experience. Secondly, you have to talk about readiness. You have to be ready and when you are ready there will be no controversy as to whether you are qualified or not. Since you are now ready , you can then win the election. I will give you a few examples. I remember Chief MKO Abiola had wanted to run as far back as 1981 under the Shagari government. He was preparing, but those who didn’t want him made sure that they frustrated him out of NPN. He resigned in anger and went away. As part of the plot to frustrate him, they told him that presidency was not for sale. He even wanted to be the chairman of the party, but they did not give him a chance. So, he went away. He, however, re-strategized and he planned very well. Between 1981 and 1993 when he came back that is a period of 12 years, he was ready. That is why I said there’s need for someone to be well prepared . He prepared and he was ready. When he ran there was no question about it that he won. But sadly he was was not allowed to govern, but it is on record that he won the freest election ever in the history of Nigeria. George Weah, the president of Liberia wanted to run. They told him, no you can’t do it, you are not properly educated and he withdrew after losing the election to Madam Johnson Sirleaf. Then he went back to school in America to prepare. He went through that school of preparation and after preparing he got himself ready. After about 12 years just as Abiola did, he was ready and he won the election. If you look at President Mohammad Buhari, he started running in 2003, he contested and re-contested and 12 years later in 2015 he won. If you look at President Nana Kufor Ado of Ghana, he also went through the process and contested and recontested and after that third attempt, he also won. Today, he is president. So, I have learnt from their examples that it is not always easy to win at first attempt and when you lose in that first attempt, it is better to withdraw into your shell, restrategize, replan, regroup and hopefully if God says yes, then you win. God factor is very crucial. If God says you will get there then you get there.”