Banky W – The underdog who may cause an election upset

In Nigeria, successful pop singer Banky W (Olubankole Wellington) is running in the country’s parliamentary elections on February 16th. The star is seeking to get young people more interested in politics, in order to blow away cobwebs and bring about social change. In Nigeria, even though those under 25 make up 60 percent of the population, the two leading Presidential candidates are both in their seventies.

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byAbdulateef Ahmed

September 7, 2025

Modern Democratic Party (MDP) candidate US-Nigerian musician Olubankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W. meets with supporters during a campaign rally at Ajah in Lagos, on January 27, 2019. - Banky W. was born in the United States to Nigerian parents -- an engineer father and church pastor mother. Banky W. hopes to win a seat in the House of Representatives for the Modern Democratic Party (MDP), which was only created last year. The party's platform includes introducing free and compulsory primary education in a country where an estimated 13 million children do not go to school and the creation of vocational training centres to equip people with employable skills. (Photo by FLORIAN PLAUCHEUR / AFP)

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Abdulateef Ahmed

Abdulateef Ahmed, Digital News Editor and; Research Lead, is a self-driven researcher with exceptional editorial skills. He's a literary bon vivant keenly interested in green energy, food systems, mining, macroeconomics, big data, African political economy, and aviation..