Socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, has explained why she declined an offer to contest for a House of Representatives seat on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
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Yesufu said she rejected the offer because several aspirants had already purchased nomination forms and were legitimately seeking the ticket before the offer was made to her.
She spoke on Thursday at a public lecture on “Citizens’ Participation in Governance” held at Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja.
According to her, accepting the ticket would have amounted to benefiting from an irregular and unfair political process, especially after about 20 aspirants had already shown interest and paid for nomination forms.
“About 20 people had picked up forms for the ticket and I was not going to be part of irregularities. I was not going to be part of that system even though it was going to benefit me,” she said.
Yesufu said her decision was based on principle and fairness, stressing that the process would have shortchanged other competent aspirants who had invested resources and effort in the contest.
“The reason I didn’t take it was because of the process. There were about 20 competent people from whom money had been collected during the process who would be shortchanged,” she stated.
Describing the arrangement as unjust, Yesufu said she could not in good conscience accept a political advantage that would undermine other aspirants.
“The process was unjust; in my view, it was criminal. If we claim to be guided by the law, then why should we do something unjust?” she added.
The activist said she would rather lose in a fair contest than gain political office through a process she considers unfair.
“I have no problem with losing. I would rather stand with ordinary people than pursue titles and honours through an unfair process. That is how I have always lived my life,” she said.
Her comments followed a disclosure by NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had offered her the House of Representatives ticket, which she declined.
The development came amid controversy over the party’s FCT senatorial primaries, which Yesufu later alleged were manipulated against her.
At the lecture, Yesufu also urged young Nigerians to take active interest in politics, saying meaningful political participation goes beyond voting on election day.
She said citizens must organise, engage political structures and demand accountability from those in public office.
Also speaking at the event, human rights lawyer, Dr. Maxwell Opara, identified the judiciary as one of Nigeria’s major democratic challenges.
Opara alleged that delays, procedural bottlenecks and selective enforcement of court judgments were weakening democratic institutions and public confidence in the justice system.
He called for stronger citizen participation in governance as a means of strengthening accountability.
Both speakers agreed that Nigeria’s democracy requires active citizens who are willing to challenge unfair processes, demand transparency and participate meaningfully in governance beyond elections.
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