An Ogun monarch, Oba Oluseyi Adediran, the Towulade of Akinale, has warned youths against selling their votes, urging them to prioritise credible leadership over money in the 2027 general elections.

Oba Adediran gave the warning during activities marking the Ogun Omo Owu 2026 celebration, where he spoke at a press conference ahead of the 2027 polls. He warned youths not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs or induced with money by politicians.

According to the monarch, young Nigerians must interrogate the background and capacity of those seeking their votes, rather than follow money.

He urged youths to sit down and go through the profiles of people they are voting for before making a decision.

He said youths should ask critical questions about aspirants, including who they are, where they are coming from, what they have done, and what their strengths are. He noted that when he was growing up, people used to read biographies, and urged youths to google the biography of candidates to know them.

Oba Adediran also warned against vote buying and quick money syndrome, describing it as a path to destruction. He said life is not about collecting temporary money from politicians who bring money and say they should vote.

He explained that temporary money is nothing and that if youths do not have proper foundation, they cannot go higher. He encouraged youths not to use their strength for temporary money but to get their Permanent Voter Cards and participate actively in the electoral process.

The monarch urged youths to go to polling units on election day, do their bidding, and encourage others to vote, describing that as their assignment. He stressed that credible leadership remains key to collective progress and development.

Other traditional rulers at the event also tasked Nigerians on using heritage for collective progress and urged youths to be responsible and shun vote buying and other forms of electoral malpractice ahead of the 2027 elections.