Nigeria’s youngest lawmaker, Rukayat Shittu, has secured victory at the All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election primary, emerging as the party’s flagbearer for the Owode/Onire State Constituency seat in the Kwara State House of Assembly.
The keenly contested re-election primary took place on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, where she defeated her sole challenger, Sulyman Ayegun.
Her victory marks a major political shift in the constituency, breaking a long-standing rotational agreement between the Owode and Onire axes that historically limited representatives to a single term.
The win positions her as the APC flag bearer as the constituency prepares for the next electoral phase, where she is expected to campaign on her record and vision for continued representation.
If successful at the general election, Shittu is set to make history as the first lawmaker to secure a second term in Owode/Onire, potentially breaking a long-standing political pattern in the constituency.
Political stakeholders say the outcome of the primary sets the tone for what is likely to be a closely watched contest, as parties begin to mobilise across the constituency ahead of the polls.
