An aggrieved parent, Babatunde Oyeniyi, has called for a review of the selection process for the 2026 Little Miss Nigeria beauty pageant, alleging concerns over transparency, voting and the process used to determine the winner.
The pageant, which is for girls aged eight to 13, was held in Abuja on Saturday, October 3, with 10-year-old Miss Aishat Audu, representing Kogi, announced as the winner. Oyeniyi, whose child participated in the competition, raised questions about the voting and judging process in a statement issued in Abuja.
He alleged that promotional materials featuring Audu appeared before the voting period had closed, saying the timing required clarification from the organisers. He urged them to provide details of the voting, judging and winner-selection processes to reassure contestants and the public about the integrity of the competition.
Oyeniyi also called on relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, to scrutinise child-focused pageants and promote transparency. He said contestants who paid the 30,000 naira registration fee deserved a process that respected fairness, merit and equal opportunity.
The Little Miss Nigeria pageant, now in its 11th edition, aims to promote confidence, leadership, education, self-expression and cultural identity among Nigerian girls.
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