5 Young But Powerful Politicians in 2025. List Emerge
- 2025 saw a surge of young politicians reshaping Nigeria's political landscape and challenging the status quo
- Siminalayi Fubara's defection to APC marked a significant shift in his political journey amid governance challenges
- Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emerged as a symbol of resilience against legislative intimidation, gaining global recognition in 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, the Nigerian political landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by a new vanguard of leaders.
No longer just "leaders of tomorrow," these five figures have navigated systemic rot, godfatherism, and high-stakes legal battles to emerge as the most influential voices in the country.
Source: UGC
Here's a look at some of the most influential young politicians of the year.
1. Siminalayi Fubara (Age: 43)
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has become the ultimate symbol of political autonomy in 2025. What began as a local rift with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, escalated into a national referendum on the "godfather" system.
Throughout the year, Fubara faced unprecedented hurdles, including a fractured State Assembly and attempts to starve his administration of statutory allocations.
In a move that stunned the political establishment in late 2025, Fubara officially defected from the PDP to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). This strategic pivot occurred shortly after his return from a controversial suspension, a period during which President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers State due to escalating governance deadlocks and security concerns.
Despite these pressures, Fubara consolidated his hold on Rivers state by aligning with grassroots movements and delivering massive infrastructure projects.
His resilience in 2025 has redefined the Fourth Republic, proving that an incumbent can successfully challenge the machinery that brought them to power.
His "People First" mantra has garnered him a massive following among youths who see him as a giant-killer in a land of political titans.
2. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Age: 42)
In 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solidified her status as Nigeria's most formidable female politician, but not without paying a heavy price for her outspokenness. Her year was defined by a historic and explosive clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The friction, which began over a seating arrangement dispute in February, escalated rapidly after she accused the Senate leadership of deliberate victimisation and silencing her legislative motions.
The situation reached a breaking point in March 2025 when the Senate, following a report by the Ethics Committee, suspended her for six months for alleged misconduct and insubordination.
The suspension, which included the withdrawal of her salaries and security details, sparked an international outcry regarding the treatment of women in Nigerian politics.
Although a Federal High Court later ruled the suspension "excessive and unconstitutional," the Senate leadership challenged the ruling, leading to a protracted legal battle that reached the Supreme Court in December 2025.
Despite being barred from the chambers for much of the year, her influence grew exponentially as she became a global symbol for resistance against legislative intimidation.
3. Minister of Interior (Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Age: 42)
Widely regarded as the "Star Boy" of President Tinubu’s cabinet, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has spent 2025 turning the Ministry of Interior into a model of efficiency.
Source: Twitter
His year was defined by the complete digitisation of the passport application process and a radical overhaul of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
However, his influence was tested in 2025 by intense scrutiny over contract transparency and the daunting challenge of securing Nigeria’s vast, porous borders amid rising regional instability.
Tunji-Ojo has managed to survive the high-pressure environment of Abuja politics by delivering tangible results that Nigerians can see, such as the reduction of visa processing times, proving that youthful energy can indeed conquer bureaucratic inertia.
Ikenga Ugochinyere (Age: 42)
2025 has been a year of fire for Ikenga Ugochinyere. The representative for Ideato Federal Constituency, Imo state, has occupied the unique position of being a "lone wolf" in the House of Representatives.
Governor Monday Okpebholo entered 2025 as the man who brought the APC back to power in Edo state. His first full year in office has been a trial by fire.
After a contentious 2024 election where he defeated the PDP’s machinery, Okpebholo has had to prove that his administration is more than just a "return to the old guard."
He has faced significant criticism and viral social media clips questioning his public speaking and policy depth.
However, Okpebholo has ignored the digital noise, focusing instead on a "silent revolution" of rural electrification and road construction. His influence lies in his role as a bridge-builder between the traditional structures of the APC and the pragmatic needs of the Edo electorate, making him a key player to watch as the 2027 permutations begin.
5. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai (Age 37)
Mohammed Bello El-Rufai is the first-term APC member of the House of Representatives for Kaduna North Federal Constituency.
In 2025 he sponsored several bills, participated in key committee hearings, and spoke on national issues, especially in his role as Chairman of the House Committee on Banking.
Beyond legislation, El-Rufai has used public forums to influence policy discourse. In late 2024 (reported Jan 2025), he gave a keynote at the CBN Legal Services Retreat urging greater public understanding of the Central Bank’s independencethisdaylive.com.
He described CBN autonomy as a “cornerstone of economic stability” and stressed the need for transparent communication about policies like currency redesigns and cashless.
He urged lawmakers, regulators and the public to work together to “safeguard the CBN’s independence” and ensure sound monetary.
INEC Seeks Legal Backing for IReV
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to seek an amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 to clarify issues surrounding election result management.
Specifically, the move is to get clarification on the manual transfer and electronic transmission of results.
Source: Legit.ng
