Nigeria: 15-Year-Old Dwarf Candidate Disqualified After Age Fraud

Kathmandu. In Nigeria, Mahmud Sadis Baba, known as 'Abin Al-Abin Jajau' (The Wonder of Zaria), his father's discussion started last month when a video of his All Progressive Congress (APC) party candidate selection went viral on social media. However, what started as an inspiration for inclusive politics has turned into a nationwide scam before our eyes.

Baba, a resident of Sabon Gari, Zaria, said in his screening video that he had a secondary school certificate and had previously worked as a driver. He claimed that his short stature and childlike appearance were due to dwarfism and said he was 30 years old.

He told party members, 'This is not about me, this is on behalf of the people, the people have called me to serve them and I will serve.' His simple statement also became the most quoted political statement on Nigerian social media.

While the public continued to debate how The Wonder of Zaria inspired change in Nigerian politics, his chances of securing a seat in the country's National Assembly suddenly collapsed. In the viral video, Baba claimed his birth was on August 2, 1995, stating he was over 30 years old, but documents related to him and made public on the internet indicated his birth was in 2010.

The Nigerian National Assembly election requires candidates to be at least 25 years old, but in Abin Al-Abin Jajau's case, age was not the only issue. If he was born in 2010, he would be considered a minor under both Nigerian law and the framework of international child rights.

Photos of passports, NIN slips, birth certificates, and school documents associated with Mahmud Sadis Baba showed he was merely a teenager. Meanwhile, a former teacher of his also came to the media and confirmed that he had taught Baba in the lower grades of secondary school and that he was only 16 years old, further intensifying the controversy.

The APC party, to which Baba belonged, initially defended him, claiming it was a planned propaganda against him. However, as evidence mounted, the party disqualified him on charges of age fraud. Baba then wrote a letter to the APC chairman announcing his withdrawal from the candidacy after consultation with the party.

In the letter, he stated, 'Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am withdrawing my candidacy from the Sabon Gari Federal Constituency, House of Representatives race, effective immediately. This was not an easy decision, but the reconciliation efforts initiated by our party stakeholders and leaders helped to bring it to an early conclusion.'

Now, many are expressing surprise at how a 15-year-old dwarf boy in Nigeria managed to pass the APC party's screening process and become the country's rising political star. Whether this was merely the party's incompetence or someone deliberately wove this candidacy conspiracy remains unanswered.