The March 18 elections saw the emergence of no fewer than three 26-year-olds as legislators. In this special edition of Parliament Spotlight, OrderPaper spotlights Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu, the youngest female Member-Elect in Nigeria from this electoral cycle
By Olalekan Alimi
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From heading the legislative arm of the Association in over 85 study centres across the federation, the young journalist has etched her name in history, not just as a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, but as the youngest female legislator in the country from this electoral cycle.
Barely two years after she served as the first female Senate President of the Students’ Congress of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu emerged as Member-Elect for the Kwara State House of Assembly.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Member-Elect is One of the three twenty-six-year-olds elected to parliament in at least three geo-political zones of the country. Oblivious to many. However, it was a long walk to victory for the young female legislator.
Having picked up the nomination form of the governing party in her state to contest the Owode/Onire Constituency seat, she set out for the primaries against other aspirants, including 54-year-old Ayinde Alajere in the APC State Assembly Primaries. Upon her emergence as the party’s flagbearer, Ajaere challenged her victory in court, a case that was fought up to the Supreme Court.
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LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND
- Senate President
Congress of NOUN Students (CONS) – 2020/2021 Session
National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)
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EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- First School Leaving Certificate
Baptist Primary School LGEA, Ilorin - Senior Secondary School Certificate (2011)
Government Girls Day Secondary School, Oko Erin - Diploma, Mass Communication and Islamic Studies (2015)
Kwara State College of Islamic and Legal Studies - B.Sc, Mass Communication (2022)
National Open University (NOUN)
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MAJOR POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
- Ms Shittu is arguably the youngest female legislator in the country.
- The young journalist is one of three Under-30 candidates to emerge as legislators in the 2023 – 2027 electoral cycle.
- She defeated 54-year-old Ayinde Alajere in the APC State Assembly Primaries.
- Having won the APC Assembly Primaries, her victory was challenged up to the Supreme Court, where she emerged victorious.
- Before her elections, she held the position of Publicity Secretary of a pro-democracy group, Kwara Must Change.
