2023: There may not be winner in first round of presidential election – Hunkuyi

Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, the Kaduna state gubernatorial candidate, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general elections, has observed that having a clear presidential winner in accordance with the electoral guidelines on the first ballot might be difficult.

He opined that in a free, fair and transparent 2023 general elections, no political party big or small should be underrated as any surprises could spring up to emerge victorious.

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday in Kaduna, the gubernatorial candidate stated that now that the presidential candidates are being given religious and ethnic colouration, any of the presidential candidates securing a 25 percent in 25 states might be an herculean task in the first ballot.

According to him, it does not appear any party today in Nigeria, including NNPP may make it in the first election, stressing that there might have to be a run off as the law requires some scores from the total votes cast minimum, in a required minimum number of states apart from simple majority scored.

He feared, “I feel no one party, no one candidate may be able to make it and that is why the laws of elections permits for a re-run.”

He is of the view that it would be difficult for any political party to claim victory in the 36 states in the country, saying that to win election, the candidate needs 25 per cent of votes in minimum of 25 states.

He noted, “Nigeria is too big a polity, it is a big pot, when boiling, you can never say, you can never tell, the polity is erratic. From where is APC and PDP going to gathered what you are talking about? Count, look around. If you are talking about what the polity use to be before, it was just two parties, APC and PDP.”