By ADEROGBA GEORGE

An aggrieved parent, Babatunde Oyeniyi, has faulted the winner-selection process of the Little Miss Nigeria beauty pageant, alleging lack of transparency, bias and structural manipulation in the process.

The 2026 edition of the annual pageant for girls between the ages of 8 and 13 was held in Abuja on Saturday.

The organisers announced 10-years-old Miss Aishat Audu , representing Kogi , as the winner.

Following the announcement, Oyeniyi whose child participated in the contest, have criticised the selection and voting process that produced the winner and called for clarification from the organisers.

Oyeniyi, also the owner of Trustxpect Nigeria Ltd, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

The aggrieved parent alleged that promotional materials featuring Miss Aishat Audu, who was later announced as the winner, appeared before the close of the voting period.

According to him, the timing of the materials has prompted questions about the sequence of events and should be clarified by the organisers.

He urged the organisers to provide relevant information on the voting, judging and winner-selection processes to reassure contestants and members of the public about the integrity of the exercise.

The parent also called on relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy to always scrutinise such shows to promote transparency in pageants involving children.

“We are not asking for favour. We are asking for fairness, transparency and an opportunity for every contestant to receive justice based on merit,” he said.

Oyeniyi said having paid N30, 000 as registration fee, the children that participated in the pageant deserved an environment where talent, hard work and merit were respected.

He urged the organisers to review the concerns raised and provide appropriate clarification on the process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Little Miss Nigeria beauty pageant initiative, now in its 11th edition, seeks to empower the Nigerian girl child.

It provides a platform that nurtures confidence, leadership, education and self-expression, while celebrating culture, character, and national identity. (NAN)