Politics
2023: Vote For Problem Solvers, Federal Lawmaker Urges Nigerian Youths
A federal lawmaker, Shina Peller, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, has urged Nigerian youth, that represents 70 per cent of the country’s population, to identify candidates that are problem solvers across political parties and vote for the best among them for the progress of the nation.
He gave the advice during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the Shina Peller Mega Empowerment programme, held at Technical College, Oluwole, Iseyin, Oyo State, where he empowered about 2,000 constituents.
The items, included cars, tricycles, motorcycles, gas cylinders, farm sprayers, deep freezers, grinding machines, standing fans, sewing machines, electric kettles, electric cooking stoves, pressing irons, hair dryers, generating sets and vulcanizing machines, for the 13 local government areas that make up the Oyo North senatorial district.
Peller, who is the Ayedero of Yorubaland, and the 2023 Accord candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District, enjoined Nigerians to support candidates that have the capacity and capability to record electoral victory during next year’s general elections.
He pointed out that the youth must recognise the fact that they form 70 per cent of the population and they must leverage on their strength to contribute their quota in the building of strong institutions for Nigeria.
According to him, “What Nigeria needs at a time like this is a system, not a messiah. A system is a combination of people working together. So, I urge the youths to vote for problem solvers, persons who have shown capacity and capability.”
Peller, who is the Aare Gbobaniyi of Iseyinland, noted that 40 million Nigerian youth are students and advised them to believe in themselves, as well as convince and persuade their family members, friends and associates to vote for a secured future for the country by queuing behind problem solvers.
He stated that the empowerment programme was organised to say thank you to his constituents for standing by him.
He added that in less than four years since he became a federal lawmaker, he had placed 30 persons on scholarship, including the children of Iseyin people that died during a shooting spree by a federal security agency on Eid-el-Fitr day celebration sometime ago.
He also mentioned the construction of a block of classrooms at Otu and Iseyin, the donation of ambulances and other vital medical equipment to health centres across his constituency, the donation of computers to security agencies in Iwajowa for data collection and identification purposes towards addressing security challenges, adding that two among players that participated in the recent Peller Unity Cup are currently with the Nigeria Under-20 team, known as the Flying Eagles.
The Chairman of Accord in Ogbomoso North Local Government, Alhaji Yekini Garuba, appealed to voters in the 10 local government areas of Oke-Ogun, and three local government areas of Ogbomoso, to support Peller’s candidature, saying: “If we follow the law of natural justice, it is the turn of Oke-Ogun to produce the senator for Oyo North senatorial district.
“Oke-Ogun has 10 local governments and Ogbomoso has three local governments in this senatorial district. In the past eight years or thereabouts, the Oke-Ogun has supported Ogbomoso, in spite of the fact that the zone has the highest number of votes. So, it is the turn of Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso is ready to support Hon Shina Peller. Though Shina Peller hails from Oke-Ogun, he is also our son in Ogbomoso. He is a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. He was told the same thing that he is our son when he visited the palace of Soun of Ogbomosoland.”
A friend of Peller, Sultan Abubakar, who travelled from Yobe State to Iseyin to attend the mega empowerment programme, appealed to the people of Oyo North senatorial district to support Shina Peller to electoral victory.
Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.
The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.
At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.
According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.
Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.
Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.
At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.
He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.
Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”
He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.
Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.
He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.
The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews
protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.
The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.
According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.
They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.
Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.
Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.
“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.
“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.
“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.
“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.
In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.
“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”
Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.
According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.
“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.
“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.
A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.
The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.
The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.
“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.
The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.
It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.
“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.
The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER
All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”
The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.
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