Magaji Mato: Leaders chosen by electorate, not politicians

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Magaji Mato, has said the outcome of Nigeria’s future elections will be decided by voters rather than political office holders, as consultations and alignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking in an interview on ARISE News on Tuesday, Mato stressed that the growing political engagements among opposition figures reflect increasing public demand for change and should not be dismissed as mere elite manoeuvring.

He argued that political influence held by governors and other office holders does not ultimately determine electoral outcomes, noting that the electorate remains the decisive factor in a democratic process.

“I think Nigerians have come out of that general belief that once you have governors, ministers, as members of a political party, that there is no opposition that can come up to challenge that particular political party. I think we have come out of this for a very long time. And that has been proved, or proven severally, that it is the electorate that determines who becomes a leader, not the governors. Because the governor, as a matter of fact, has only a single vote. But the electorates are there to determine who should be their leader.”

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Mato also linked recent political gatherings in Kano to widespread dissatisfaction with the current administration, describing them as early indicators of possible shifts in the country’s political landscape.

“I assure you what has happened in Kano recently, or two days ago, is an indication of the fact that all the electorates are not really happy with what is going on under the APC led government and are really desperate, searching for change in leadership, and will do all it takes.”

He maintained that the credibility of the electoral process would play a crucial role in shaping the 2027 contest, calling on institutions responsible for election management and law enforcement to remain impartial.

“Well, I am confident, it depends on INEC, not me, but I am only begging that the APC led government should allow democracy to thrive, should allow all governments, functionaries, to be independent, particularly INEC, to ensure that this thing is done.”

The senior advocate further described the emerging political consultations as a long anticipated development within the nation’s democratic space, suggesting that public expectations for a new leadership direction are gaining momentum.

“Now the combination we are seeing is a combination that Nigerians have been longing for for a very long time in the political space of this nation. People are looking for a change.”

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Addressing speculations that internal disputes within the New Nigeria Peoples Party could be driving the current alignments, Mato dismissed claims of division, saying the developments were part of broader political realities.

“The truth is, you see, I have said this here on this platform time and time again, that in NNPP we do not have any division. What we have are people who are just coming to distract the system from flowing naturally and flowing in the way and manner to be beneficial to everybody.”

He also raised concerns about recent amendments to electoral laws, warning that attempts to tilt the political field in favour of any party could undermine democratic competition.

“You will see that the APC led government and the National Assembly have done a lot of amendments that even Nigerians are not really happy with, and they are geared towards really entrenching a one-party system in Nigeria. But you see, at the end of the day, it is not how you couch the law. It is what is practical on ground that will determine who wins an election.”

On the possibility of party defections by key political figures, Mato said legal provisions allow politicians to regularise their status within stipulated timelines.

“As soon as he defects to any political party, maybe any other political party, as the case may be, he will definitely resign his position within the space as allowed by the new electoral act and then register himself in the new political party. We are working on that.”

He added that public displays of political strength, including large gatherings of supporters and allies, remain a normal feature of democratic politics.

“Politics is like a bucket. Everybody will want to showcase his talents. Everybody will want to showcase his goods and ensure that his goods are always better than the goods of others so that buyers, property and buyers will make their choices.”

Mato concluded that the coming electoral cycle would test the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, insisting that the will of voters must remain the central determinant of leadership outcomes.