ACTIVIST, Aisha Yesufu, has explained that she declined an offer to contest for a House of Representatives seat on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) because several aspirants had already purchased nomination forms and were legitimately seeking the position.
According to her: “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.”
Yesufu stated that accepting the offer would have disadvantaged other aspirants, who had invested resources and effort in the process, adding: “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.”
Speaking on Thursday, June 25, at a public lecture on ‘Citizens’ Participation in Governance’ at Veritas University in Bwari, Abuja, she described the arrangement as fundamentally flawed, noting: “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?
“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.”
Recall that NDC National Leader, Seriake Dickson, some time ago disclosed that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had offered her the House of Representatives ticket, which she declined, following controversy surrounding the FCT senatorial primaries, which Yesufu later alleged were manipulated against her.
At the lecture, Yesufu also urged young Nigerians to become active participants in politics, arguing that meaningful political engagement goes beyond voting on Election Day.
Earlier, rights lawyer, Maxwell Opara, identified the judiciary as Nigeria’s biggest challenge, alleging that delays, procedural bottlenecks and selective enforcement of court judgments were weakening democratic institutions.
Opara urged active citizen engagement to strengthen accountability.
