Aisha Yesufu explains why she declined a House of Representatives candidacy

Activist Aisha Yesufu has clarified why she declined an invitation to run for a seat in the House of Representatives under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at a public lecture on citizen participation in governance at Veritas University in Abuja on Thursday, Yesufu said she turned down the ticket after learning that roughly twenty people had already purchased nomination forms and were competing for the position.

“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 explained.

She added that accepting the nomination would have disadvantaged other aspirants who had invested time and money in pursuing the seat.

“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 said.

Describing the arrangement as unjust, Yesufu remarked, “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 emphasized that she would prefer to lose than to gain from an unfair political system.

“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.

Yesufu also encouraged young Nigerians to become more actively involved in politics, stressing that participation should extend beyond simply voting in elections.