Cyraicus Nnaji
Experts, professionals, stakeholders, including Dr. Asekere Olujoke, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine and Mr. Kunle Adegoke (SAN) have called for the strengthening of Democracy in Nigeria.
The trio made the call at a Subnational Conference on Strengthening of Democracy in Nigeria, organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development, Lagos, at The Dover Hotel, in Ikeja, Lagos State, on April 3rd, 2025. The identified several challenges undermining Nigeria’s democracy, as well as recommendations which are aimed at strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
Theme of the Conference was Strengthening Nigeria Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity.
Kunle Adegoke (SAN) delivered a paper titled Strengthening the Roles of CSOs, Political Parties, Media & other stakeholders in Mobilizing Citizens for Electoral Political Participation & Oversight Functions.
He said “It has become imperative for us all to have interest in how to ensure that we get governance right as our fates and futures are determined by the choices we make or fail to make today just as our present has been a product of the past. It is on this note that I congratulate the organizers of today’s event for considering our collective interest a serious business that should not be left to chances.”
He concluded that the submissions at the conference are necessary if there is true desire to have a society where there is maximum participation in the electoral process and that all stakeholders have their different roles to play which cannot be left undone.
Dr. Asekere Olujoke Funmilayo, Senior Lecture, Department of Mass Communication, Yaba College of Technology, said, “We must also address the issue of voter apathy. Voter apathy is a major challenge in our democratic process, and it has resulted in low voter turnout. We must work together to address voter apathy by promoting voter education and mobilization, as well as ensuring that our electoral process is free and fair. We must also address the issue of inadequate voter registration. Inadequate voter registration is another challenge in our electoral process, and it has resulted in the disenfranchisement of many citizens. We must work together to address inadequate voter registration by promoting voter registration drives, as well as ensuring that people truly understand the power of their votes.
“Furthermore, we must address the issue of corruption in our electoral process. Corruption is another major challenge in our electoral process, and it has resulted in the manipulation of election results. We must work together to address corruption in our electoral process by promoting transparency and accountability, as well as ensuring that our electoral officials are neutral and impartial.”
Speaking further, the erudite scholar said that Democracy is a multifaceted concept that extends far beyond the realm of elections and governance. “Democracy is a multifaceted concept that extends far beyond the realm of elections and governance. At its core, democracy is about empowering individuals with sovereignty, ensuring equality among citizens, and fostering a society that values and upholds democratic norms and principles. It is about creating a space where citizens can engage in deliberative discussions, exchange ideas, and participate in collective decision-making processes. Democracy is also about resistance and radical action, where individuals can challenge unjust systems and demand accountability from those in power,” Funmilayo added.
Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, looked at Democratic practice in Nigeria after a protracted military rule by x-raying the contradictions of the Fourth Republic marked by Constitutional Deficit which include Pacted transition, rigged polls, weak parties, ideological poverty, defection, absence of tempering, Godfatherism, Corruption , Cost of governance and Illiberalism[ intolerance of dissenting views, rule of force, etc.]
However, at the end the Conference, the organisers, Centre for Democracy and Development issued a communiqué in which they identified some of the Challenges hindering democracy in Nigeria which include Constitutional Deficit comprising Structural and legal inadequacies that impede democratic consolidation. They are Electoral Integrity Issues: Widespread electoral malpractice, including vote buying, rigged polls, and lack of internal party democracy; Weak Political Parties: Absence of ideological direction, frequent defections, and dominance of godfatherism in party politics.
Others are, Corruption and Cost of Governance: High governance costs, poor accountability, and misuse of public resources; Limited Electoral Awareness and Participation: Low voter engagement, especially among youth, and inadequate election education at the grassroots.
They also talked about Challenges in Voter Registration and Accessibility, adding that there is Need for improved registration processes and the establishment of convenient polling units. They also alerted on the Lack of Institutional Strengthening: Weak democratic institutions unable to withstand undue political influence.
Further group advocated the strengthening of democracy in Nigeria by making the following key recommendations: Enhancing Electoral Awareness and Voter Empowerment, saying that Local Government Authorities (LGAs) should actively promote election awareness and facilitate voter registration closer to the people and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should intensify its democracy education efforts beyond election cycles.
They also suggested improving Electoral Processes and Integrity by Political parties which must uphold internal democracy to ensure credible candidate selection and Institutional frameworks which should be strengthened to curb vote buying and electoral fraud.
The conference concluded by saying that in order to Strengthen Democratic Institutions and Leadership, there is need for the Establishment of robust institutions that uphold transparency and accountability and Recruitment of credible and service-driven political leaders through a refined selection process.
It further stated that to enhance Youth Engagement in Politics, there is need to provide young voters with accurate information to enable informed electoral participation and encouraging youth-led democratic initiatives and leadership development.
The conference also averred that addressing Governance Challenges must consider reducing the high cost of governance and promoting fiscal accountability and Encouraging statesmanship and visionary leadership among political actors.
According the Centre for Democracy and Development, the Strengthening Democracy Conference in Lagos underscored the urgent need for collective action in addressing democratic deficits and reinforcing governance structures.
Stakeholders also agreed that democracy must be seen as a marketplace of ideas, where power is transient and governance is a responsibility rather than an avenue for personal enrichment. Moving forward, there is a need for sustained engagement between citizens, electoral bodies, political parties, and governance institutions to ensure Nigeria’s democratic evolution remains on a progressive trajectory.
