Nigeria is a country with a rich and extensive political history, and over the years, several Nigerians have contested in diverse presidential elections. While some have emerged victorious, others have had to deal with the disappointment of losing the race.

Despite the disappointment of losing the presidential elections, some of these Nigerians have remained active in politics and continue to make significant contributions to the country’s development while some others have jumped off the radar. In this article, I will share some Nigerians who have lost presidential elections over the years.

Atiku Abubakar

Atiku Abubakar is a Nigeria politician and businessman who served as the vice president of Nigeria during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007. He ran as governor of Adamawa State in 1990, 1996, and in 1998 consecutively before he became Obasanjo’s running mate during the 1999 presidential election and was re-elected in 2003.

The Nigerian businessman and politician ran as President of Nigeria six times with no success. He ran in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023.

He lost to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe in the presidential primaries for Social Democratic Party in 1993. He was also a  presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the 2007 presidential election coming in third to Umaru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP.

In 2011, he contested the presidential primaries of the People’s Democratic Party and lost to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. He then joined the All Progressive Congress ahead of the 2015 presidential election in 2014, in which he lost the presidential primaries toMuhammadu Buhari. He later returned to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2017 and was the party presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, which he lost again to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

In May 2022, he was appointed as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election after he defeated Nyesom Wike, the current Governor of Rivers State, in the primaries. He was defeated by Bola Tinubu, coming second in the general election.

Omoyele Sowore

Omoyele Sowore announced On 25 February 2018, his intention to run for president in the 2019 Nigerian general election. He founded a political party in August 2018, the African Action Congress (AAC) for which he had planned to run in 2019. He emerged unchallenged as the Presidential Candidate of AAC at its national convention on 6 October 2018.

He lost to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress coming fifth after Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party who was Buhari’s main contender.

On 1 March 2022, Sowore announced his intention to run for president in the 2023 Nigerian general election but lost as well to Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress.

Mohammed Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso

Mohammed Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso in October 2014, contested the APC presidential primaries due to his large political following in Kano. He came in second and later endorsed the winner Muhammadu Buhari.

He defected to PDP in July 2018, and contested for the party’s presidential primaries in October 2018. He lost and endorsed Atiku Abubakar who emerged as the winner.

In the February 25 2023 general elections, he contested and lost to Bola Tinubu of the All progressive Party.

Chris Okotie

Chris Okotie ran for the first time for President under the banner of the Justice Party (JP), led by Ralph Obiorah after he was schemed out of the National Democratic Party (NDP) primaries elections. He then lost to Olusegun Obasanjo of the People’s Democratic Party in the May 2003 elections. 

The author and televangelist ran again in 2007 on the platform of a party he founded, Fresh Democratic Party, and lost to Umaru Yar’Adua of the People’s Democratic Party in the May 2007 elections. 

Then in 2011, he ran and lost to the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. 

Kingsley Moghalu

In February 2018, Moghalu announced his intention to run for the office of the President of Nigeria. Through the  party platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).  He was endorsed by Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian born Nobel Laureate and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,  the then Emir of Kano. The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwus also endorsed him.

He lost the election to Muhammade Buhari and then resigned his membership from YPPto focus on advocacy for electoral reform through the non-partisan citizens movement, To Build a Nation (TBAN).