They said democratic participation must extend beyond election cycles to policy advocacy, legislative engagement, civic education, and long-term community organising.
Civil society leaders and human rights advocates on Wednesday warned that Nigeria risks deeper democratic decline if citizens limit participation to protests and online activism without sustained engagement in governance and accountability.
They made the call at “a joint intergenerational civil society” meeting on democratic resilience, civic participation and strategic coordination ahead of the 2027 general elections. It was organised by Hope Behind Bars Africa and Accountability Lab Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, represented by Halilu Adamu, Director, Civil and Political Rights at NHRC who anchored the discussion on constitutional participation and democratic accountability, argued that the Nigerian Constitution places citizens at the centre of governance and guarantees their participation in public affairs.
“Democratic governance is not merely about periodic elections. It is about the continuous engagement of citizens in public affairs, policy formulation, decision-making processes and accountability mechanisms,” he said, adding, “The Constitution does not envision a citizen who appears only on election day.”
He cited Sections 14(2)(a) and 14(2)(c) of the Constitution, which state that sovereignty belongs to the people and require citizen participation in governance.
He also defended civic freedoms as constitutional rights essential to democracy. “Civic freedoms are not privileges granted at the discretion of the State. They are constitutional guarantees essential to democratic participation,” he said.
He declared that the future of Nigeria’s democracy will not be determined by institutions alone. It will also be determined by the extent to which citizens are empowered to engage, contribute and participate in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.
Mr Ojukwu also linked democratic participation to transparency and access to information. “Citizens cannot meaningfully participate in governance without access to information,” he said, and urged citizens to remain engaged before, during, and after elections through dialogue, voter education, peaceful participation, and public accountability.
During the panel discussion, Solape Sounga, Director, Legislative Mentorship Initiative; Dayo Aiyetan, Executive Director, International Centre for Investigative Reporting; Elizabeth Agbiti-Douglas, Director, NYFF; and Grace Jerry, Executive Director of Inclusive Friends, represented by Molly Joshua, all agreed that Nigeria’s civic space faces growing pressure ahead of the 2027 elections.
They said distrust in public officials and political parties, voter apathy, insecurity, electoral manipulation fears, and concerns over the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could discourage participation.
They said insecurity and violence remain key barriers to participation and voter turnout, while intimidation, surveillance, electoral violence, misinformation, and misuse of personal data continue to threaten civic participation in Nigeria.
They, however, explained that citizens must reclaim democratic power through active engagement, noting that past youth mobilisation efforts such as #EndSARS and other civic protests had shaped public discourse and policy attention.
Yet protest alone cannot drive democratic change without sustained engagement in policy processes, legislation, and accountability institutions, as many participants in such protests do not possess Permanent Voter Cards, according to the panellists.
They therefore urged civil society actors to adopt more strategic approaches to civic engagement and organising, since voting remains central to democratic accountability, noting that political actors respond to the strength of voter participation.
They said where citizens turn out in large numbers, electoral manipulation becomes more difficult.
They called on Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the next electoral cycle and encouraged individual verification of online misinformation.
The panelists urged youths and citizens to also focus on positions down to grassroots level and not on presidential candidates alone.
They also called for broader participation from rural communities, women, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups.
A participant, David Calistus, who is the Executive Director of Lightway Aid Initiative, told PREMIUM TIMES said the key takeaway from the event was the understanding of the need for citizens to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the 2027 elections.
He added that civic responsibility required citizens to move from awareness to action and described voter registration as a civic duty that gives citizens the power to influence leadership choices.
And warned that failure to participate would weaken accountability and worsen governance outcomes. “Bad leadership, inconsistent governance,” he said.
Another participant, Chidera Nwokike, who is a lawyer, said the conversation helped her rethink civic responsibility beyond national elections, adding that governance at local and state levels also remains critical.
She said the meeting helped her to make up her mind to vote in 2027.
Also speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Dim Munachimso, urged Nigerians to obtain their PVCs and participate in the 2027 elections, “since votes remain decisive in shaping leadership outcomes.”
