The factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki, has urged Nigerian youths to reject the practice of exchanging their votes for immediate material benefits ahead of the 2027 general elections. Turaki gave the warning on Monday at the Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed Colloquium organised to mark the 68th birthday of the Governor of Bauchi State. He emphasised that accepting money, spaghetti and other inducements in exchange for votes would undermine their ability to demand accountability from elected leaders.
Turaki maintained that citizens who sell their votes would lose both the moral and legal basis to demand quality leadership and good governance from those they helped elect. He stressed that power is never given but taken, and encouraged young Nigerians to move beyond waiting for political power to be handed to them and instead become actively involved in determining who governs them. According to him, young Nigerians must not rely on being described as "leaders of tomorrow" but take charge of their future.
The PDP factional chairman criticised the repeated description of young Nigerians as "leaders of tomorrow", questioning when that promised future would actually arrive. He said voters should not expect quality representation after accepting inducements during elections. Turaki argued that if youths are not going to cast their vote until they are given money or other benefits, they cannot reasonably expect those elected through such a process to provide quality representation.
Turaki called on youths to participate actively in politics and ensure that capable leaders are elected into public office. He emphasised that Nigerians must get involved in what happens around them and stand up for their rights. The PDP factional chairman also raised concerns about the quality of legislation in the country, saying Nigerians should pay greater attention to the calibre of lawmakers they elect.
Turaki disagreed with an earlier position by Datti Baba-Ahmed, a former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, who argued that the independence of the Nigerian Senate had been weakened by repeated interference from the executive arm of government. Instead, Turaki said the focus should not merely be on legislation but on the quality and impact of the laws being passed by the National Assembly.
Turaki questioned whether legislation was effectively addressing issues such as hunger, unemployment, poverty and insecurity. He criticised policies that he said could place additional burdens on Nigerians, arguing that elected members of the National Assembly should focus on measures capable of improving citizens' lives. According to him, the central question should be whether laws passed by lawmakers addressed the fundamental challenges confronting Nigerians.
The PDP factional chairman's comments come ahead of the 2027 general elections, with many Nigerians hoping for positive change. Turaki's message to youths is clear: reject vote-buying and demand quality leadership. He urged Nigerians to pay attention to the quality of legislation and ensure that lawmakers are working in the best interests of citizens.
Key points
- PDP's Turaki urges Nigerian youths to reject exchanging votes for material benefits ahead of 2027 elections.
- Turaki criticises vote-buying, saying it undermines youths' ability to demand accountability from leaders.
- The PDP factional chairman calls for quality legislation that addresses fundamental challenges confronting Nigerians.
