As Nigeria’s young people came together at the National Youth Conference held in Abuja from July 7 to 21, 2025, the central topic was “Governance and Political Participation.” The key question raised was: How can we halt our deteriorating politics and save our struggling democracy?
In this article, I provide more than just an analysis; I present a practical rescue strategy to address Nigeria’s political exclusion crisis. Here, individuals with financial power control political parties, delegates trade their principles for minimal gains, and all other parties, including the ruling one, are disorganized and driven by self-interest. The political landscape is unfair and full of obstacles. Elections function as a winner-takes-all scam, while internally displaced persons and people with disabilities are marginalized and have no voice. State electoral commissions disregard accountability. These problems require urgent action, which is why a youth-driven plan is essential!
Twenty-two years since Nigeria shed its military regime, the country’s democracy is still in a critical condition. The signs are clear: instances of delegates being bought out, politics being excessively monetized through stolen public money, excessive financial support for elections by INEC, extremely low voter participation, widespread vote-buying, open electoral violence, and a deep feeling of disappointment, especially among the youth. The cause is exclusion. Our political environment is heavily biased, preventing fair involvement from young people, women, individuals with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and most political parties that are barely surviving. This isn’t just unjust; it’s a violation of the constitution and a growing threat to the nation’s stability and future success.
Survey your surroundings. Our democracy is controlled by wealthy individuals and the powerful elite’s tight grip on party systems, preventing new, trustworthy voices from emerging, particularly the youth who make up our largest demographic group. In-party democracy is a mockery, determined in rooms filled with money rather than through open primaries. Politics has turned into an expensive bidding war, driven by a harmful financialization that pushes aside ethics and promotes corruption. The so-called referee frequently lacks the independence or determination to uphold its own regulations.
The exclusion is widespread and disgraceful. Internally displaced Nigerians, who have suffered from conflict and instability, are consistently deprived of their basic right to take part in determining their own future. Marginalized communities are ignored. Even at the local level, the illusion of local government elections carried out by compromised state electoral bodies, such as the recent fraudulent processes seen in local government council elections in Bauchi and Kaduna states, undermines the concept of representative governance. This contravenes Section 14(2)(a), Section 15(1), Section 40, Section 153(1)(f), Section 221, Section 318(1), Seventh Schedule of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (As Amended) and also Article 11, Article 17, Article 19, Article 27 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and Article 7, Article 21 of the UN Charter on Human Rights.
This current situation cannot continue. Protests from the outside are insufficient. We require a clear, practical plan for fair political involvement and responsible leadership. These requests go beyond empty talk to real change, led by those who are currently excluded.
This is how our youth-driven approach will halt the decline and bring about a revival of democracy:
A national inclusion charter: There is an urgent need for a national multi-stakeholder political participation charter. This document should be created jointly by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, INEC, civil society, and the Nigerian Youth Parliament. It must set out minimum, enforceable standards. It should require and ensure real internal party democracy, ensure fair access and involvement for all parties, and importantly, acknowledge, empower, and offer free access to political platforms for young people, women, IDPs, and other underrepresented groups. Furthermore, multi-party involvement in governance must be institutionalized, going beyond the winner-takes-all approach.
Complete party and electoral reform: Every political party needs to be brought into transparency. There should be laws that require all individuals holding political office to publicly present “project plans” before taking their positions and detailed “end-of-term reports,” ensuring real responsibility, not just empty pledges. All parties must implement and enforce “letters of credence” for their candidates, rather than being influenced by financial status. Importantly, the excessive commercialization driven by arbitrary, high nomination fees imposed by state electoral authorities (such as the well-known case of KAD-SIECOM) must be banned. Adherence to Section 7 of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 concerning free and fair local government elections is essential and needs immediate implementation measures.
A digital democracy transformation: Utilize technology to enhance openness. Create a “National Digital Democracy Hub.” This system would oversee and publicly share election-related activities in real-time, monitor campaign funding (revealing illegal transactions), and examine internal party procedures. Importantly, it could offer interactive civic learning modules, making political knowledge fun and easy to access, particularly for younger voters, fighting disinterest and encouraging knowledgeable involvement.
Strengthening IPAC youth and community engagement: The IPAC Youth Directorate, at both national and state levels, needs to be officially established, supported financially, and given clear responsibilities as essential civic connectors. Their mission will involve leading country-wide initiatives on media literacy, political awareness, and democratic education, with a focus on marginalized communities. They serve as the link between official structures and the disengaged public.
What is the anticipated solution? It involves a functioning democracy that will see greater involvement from young people, women, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons. There should be a more robust internal party democracy, less electoral violence, less vote-buying, and an end to impunity. Alongside this, there needs to be a more educated electorate and transparent party systems. This will ultimately result in improved governance and responsibility.
The plan for execution is well-defined and practical:
Phase 1: Create the NSPPC in partnership with all relevant parties; Phase 2: Formulate and put into action INEC-IPAC-CSO party audit procedures; Phase 3: Introduce the National Digital Democracy Hub along with community engagement tools.
Phase 4: Update the Electoral Act to formally include the youth, displaced persons, and underrepresented groups, along with all other policies developed during this youth-focused conference.
The fate of Nigeria’s democracy is at a critical point. We cannot tolerate another round of marginalization and disappointment. The enthusiasm, creativity, and call for transparency shown by Nigeria’s young people are not a danger; they represent the strongest cure for our struggling democracy.
This suggestion, developed through direct involvement with IPAC, community organizing via the platform Bakondare Speaks, and numerous studies featured in prominent media, presents a realistic approach for the future. It’s time to bring young people’s perspectives from the edges of demonstrations to the core of decision-making processes and create a Nigeria where democracy effectively serves every citizen!
Rabiu, an expert in monitoring and evaluation, writes from Kaduna.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).