Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has expressed support for the use of consensus in the selection of candidates for political offices by parties ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday monitored by the column.ng, the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is eyeing the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, said consensus brings out the right candidates.

She dismissed fears that consensus would produce unpopular candidates, noting that it does not mean party leaders will ignore the wishes of the people.

“I do believe that consensus can bring the right candidates because consensus does not mean that leadership ignores the will of the people; consensus means that they look at what the people are saying. No party wants to lose, so the party will not choose people that open them for a loss; does that make sense?” Obasanjo said.

“So, the consensus is going to come towards people that can actually win on the ground, if that makes sense, because at the end of the day, the party wants to win. So, they do not want to put the least popular person as the consensus candidate in a way that is going to aggravate the other participants and in a way that is going to discourage people that are popular from participating. So, I have full belief that consensus is the way to go.”

She expressed strong belief that the consensus system would be an advantage to her in the race for the Ogun APC governorship ticket, citing her popularity and past performances as a commissioner and senator.

According to the former Ogun Central senator, the good salaries she received as a senator were put into working for her people, which she believes is an edge in the governorship race.

In another appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief earlier this month, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo expressed confidence in her chances ahead of the 2027 governorship race in Ogun State, saying she is a candidate to beat.

The 59-year-old politician, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections, said she is confident of receiving the votes of her parents, including her father, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I am almost 60; I think that at this age, my friends who still have both parents alive are very few, so I consider myself lucky to have both my mother and my father alive.

“I don’t think at this age I should be consulting them for everything in my career move. What I have said is that my father, I know, and my mother will vote for me; that’s all that I can ask of them. Even if I don’t ask, they will vote for me; that I can guarantee,” she said.

The new Electoral Act made changes to the modes of candidate selection for political parties. With the new Act, only direct primary and consensus are the options for political parties to choose their candidates, while the indirect primary option has been removed.

Meanwhile, the APC has confirmed it will adopt a consensus approach for selecting national leaders during its convention scheduled for March 27 and 28, 2026, in Abuja.

Mary Ikoku, Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity, disclosed the plan Wednesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

She added that the party has not yet decided how elective positions during primaries will be handled, noting that decisions may vary with local political dynamics.

Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations are protesting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

The protest is against the proposed health sector regulatory bill, which is before the National Assembly.

The protesting health workers are against the bill, claiming that if allowed to pass, it would subject every medical profession to the regulation of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

They maintain that all health professions have their regulatory bodies, and that the new bill was seeking to make other health professionals second-class to medical doctors.

The protesters plan to also go to the National Assembly, where they hope to present their case to lawmakers.

Hundreds of British teenagers will trial social media bans and time limits on apps as part of consultations over new measures to keep children safe online, the government announced Wednesday.

The pilot comes as the government seeks views from parents on whether to follow Australia and issue a blanket ban on social media for children under 16.

Three hundred youngsters aged 13 to 17 will try out different restrictions on social media use over six weeks to gauge the impact on their schoolwork, sleep and family life.

Some will have their social media apps disabled entirely, while others will have no access to them overnight, said the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

[ A young student uses her mobile phone at a public school in Planaltina

A third group will have a one-hour-per-day cap on the most popular apps for teenagers, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The results will be compared to a fourth set of children who will continue to receive unlimited access.

“We are determined to give young people the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future,” said technology minister Liz Kendall.

“These pilots will give us the evidence we need to take the next steps, informed by the experiences of families themselves.”

Australia in December became the first nation to prohibit people under the age of 16 from using immensely popular and profitable social media platforms.

Several other countries are considering similar bans, including France where lawmakers in January passed a bill that would prohibit use by under-15s, which still needs final approval.

The British government has launched a consultation on a potential Australia-style ban, which will also look at measures including age restrictions and banning addictive features like scrolling.

Earlier this month, British MPs struck down proposals by the upper House of Lords chamber to ban social media for under-16s while it awaits the outcome of the consultation, due to close on May 26.

British public figures including actor Hugh Grant have urged the government to back a prohibition, saying parents alone cannot counter social media harms.

But some experts warn restrictions could be easily circumvented and would rather that tech platforms focus on making their sites safer.

Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not ruled out a ban.