Kabiru Turaki, factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Interim National Working Committee, has urged Nigerians to reject vote-buying and other inducements during the 2027 general elections.
Turaki made the call on Monday in Bauchi at a colloquium organised to mark the 68th birthday of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
He urged voters to be deliberate in choosing candidates, warning that the quality of those elected in 2027 would have a direct bearing on how the country is governed over the following four years.
According to him, citizens play a decisive role in determining the quality of leadership that emerges through elections.
“We must not vote in exchange for spaghetti, rice, money or any other inducements. We must vote according to the capacity of the candidates to offer quality representation and contribute to national development,” he said.
Turaki also expressed concern over what he described as the decline in the quality of legislative representation, contrasting previous legislators who, according to him, provided effective representation with what he called the “rubber-stamp legislature” of today.
He warned that a weak legislature could undermine democratic checks and balances and urged Nigerians to pay greater attention to the quality and independence of candidates seeking elective offices.
“We must not vote in exchange for food or money,” Turaki said, stressing that electoral choices should be based on candidates’ capacity to deliver effective representation and contribute to national development.
The PDP chieftain also called for greater youth participation in politics and governance, arguing that young Nigerians should not be treated merely as campaign statistics or political decoration.
“We must stop saying that youths are the leaders of tomorrow; when will that tomorrow come? Young people are the greatest stakeholders of the future, and that future cannot be discussed or planned in their absence,” he said.
Turaki further commended the Bauchi State administration for what he described as its emphasis on youth inclusion, while praising the organisers of the colloquium for creating a platform to reflect on Nigeria’s political past and discuss its future.
