In a bold push to revive Nigeria’s democratic ideals and safeguard its electoral integrity, a coalition of pro-democracy organisations and policy think tanks have called on the Nigerian government to immediately implement sweeping electoral reforms and ensure financial autonomy for the judiciary and electoral bodies.
This powerful call to action came at the Subnational Strengthening Democracy Conference, held Thursday in Lagos, under the theme “Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity.” The event brought together influential voices from across the political, academic, and civil society spectrum to address Nigeria’s faltering democratic trajectory, particularly at the subnational level.
The conference was convened through a strategic alliance between the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).
Participants—including governance experts, civil society leaders, traditional rulers, and political actors—presented a unified front against systemic issues threatening the country’s democratic foundation: godfatherism, electoral malpractice, and institutional weakness.
In his welcome address, Itia Otabor, Director of Strategy at Centre LSD, decried the erosion of democratic values in Nigeria, warning that without deliberate efforts to strengthen institutions at the subnational level, Nigeria’s democratic experiment risks collapse.
“Weak institutions, ideological inconsistency within political parties, and executive interference have left Nigeria’s democracy teetering on the edge,” Otabor declared.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Asekere Olujoke, a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Yaba College of Technology, stressed that peaceful elections alone do not define a functioning democracy.
> “The strength of our democracy is directly tied to the quality and independence of our institutions—INEC, the judiciary, law enforcement. These bodies must be free from political manipulation and executive control,” she asserted.
Dr. Olujoke advocated for immediate legislative action to grant financial independence to both the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). She also called for transparent and merit-based appointments to INEC leadership, with Senate confirmations based solely on integrity and competence.
Legal luminary Mr. Kunle Adegoke (SAN), in his paper presentation, underscored the vital role of civil society organisations, media, security agencies, and political parties in fortifying Nigeria’s electoral processes. He called for synergy among stakeholders to build a robust democratic culture.
Adding his voice, pro-democracy activist and governance scholar, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine, warned that political godfatherism remains a cancer eating deep into the heart of Nigeria’s electoral system. He urged political parties to embrace internal democracy and transparency.
A communiqué issued at the end of the conference laid out a series of urgent reforms to strengthen democratic institutions and restore public faith in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key recommendations included:
Granting full financial and administrative autonomy to electoral and judicial institutions;
Institutionalising internal democracy within political parties;
Eradicating political godfatherism and promoting statesmanship among political actors;
Strengthening legal frameworks to curb vote buying and electoral fraud;
Reducing the cost of governance and promoting fiscal accountability;
Boosting electoral awareness and empowering voters, especially the youth.
The communiqué emphasised that genuine reform is the only pathway to restoring electoral credibility and ensuring sustainable governance in Nigeria.
The conference also featured two high-powered panel sessions. The first focused on electoral violence, women’s political inclusion, and inter-agency collaboration, while the second examined the role of civil society organisations, media, and political parties in mobilising citizens for political participation.
As the countdown to the 2027 elections begins, participants agreed that the time to act is now—or risk a further decline in the nation’s democratic fortunes.
PIONEER NEWS 