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.
