By Seun Oloketuyi
Babajimi Benson did not leave his 2023 re-election in Ikorodu to chance. The lawmaker secured 60,890 votes to retain his seat in the House of Representatives, comfortably ahead of his closest challenger, Abdulkareem Olugbenga Shittu of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 15,966 votes.
But what goes into producing that kind of result? Benson offers some answers in Seun Oloketuyi’s forthcoming book, ‘How to Win an Election in Nigeria’, where he reflects on his political journey and the work that happens behind a successful campaign.
For him, an election is not simply about putting up posters or drawing crowds at rallies. A candidate’s background, reputation, political relationships and, importantly, the way the people receive the candidate all matter.
Benson said he was aware of the goodwill his family had built over the years in Ikorodu and Lagos State, but he did not see that as enough to secure victory.
He still had to consult widely, speak with people who understood the political terrain and, most importantly, put together a team that shared his vision. “The minimum viable structure required to win an election is fundamentally a strong grassroots network supported by functional logistics and communication systems,” he said.
That grassroots connection, Benson explained, has to be real. The people working for a candidate should know the wards and communities they are assigned to, rather than simply appearing when an election is around the corner. There is also the question of party machinery.
Benson believes a candidate cannot afford to choose between the party structure and personal relationships. Both matter, but they serve different purposes.
“Party structure provides the institutional platform, visibility, and electoral reach, while personal loyalty sustains commitment, trust, and long-term mobilisation,” he said.
And then comes the part many candidates discover the hard way: politics can change very quickly.
Benson described Nigerian politics as “local and fluid,” where a new alliance, a directive from a party leader or an unresolved grievance can change the calculation almost overnight.
That is why, in his view, a candidate cannot afford to become comfortable simply because the early signs look favourable.
His advice is shaped by experience. Benson’s 60,890 votes in Ikorodu did not happen on the strength of one rally or one election-day strategy. Behind the figure was a network of people, relationships and months of political groundwork.
Those are some of the less visible calculations Benson opens up about in How to Win an Election in Nigeria, Seun Oloketuyi’s new book, which is due out on September 6.
