By Ikechukwu Samuel
Senior lecturers in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University, have urged Nigerian youths to move beyond social media activism and actively participate in politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Professor Yusuf Zoaka said democracy is expected to promote transparency, accountability and inclusive governance but noted that Nigeria’s democratic practice continues to face serious challenges.
The lecturers warned that Nigeria’s democracy would remain fragile unless young people become directly involved in governance, political parties and leadership rather than limiting their engagement to online campaigns.
Their position was contained in a report released on Friday by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation for Peace and Development following a democracy conference organised in collaboration with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Abuja.
The conference focused on two major themes: “Youth Political Participation and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria” and “Digital Politics, Electoral Integrity and Peace-building in Contemporary Nigeria.”
According to the report, the high cost of politics, electoral violence, political godfatherism, poverty and weak democratic institutions continue to prevent many young Nigerians from seeking elective office.
While acknowledging that social media has significantly expanded civic awareness among young people, the report stressed that digital activism alone cannot deepen democratic governance without active political participation.
Delivering the welcome address, he observed that many young Nigerians are more active on social media than in the political process.
“Youths must engage beyond social media and voting. They should become active participants in democratic governance and nation-building,” Zoaka said.
Country Director of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation for Peace and Development, Angela Odah, said young Nigerians would play a decisive role in determining the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
She noted that elections should not be viewed as a one-day event but as a continuous process beginning with voter registration, party primaries and campaigns through vote collation and declaration of results.
Odah urged stakeholders to ensure that every stage of the electoral process remains transparent, peaceful and free from electoral violence, vote-buying and other forms of manipulation.
Presenting the lead paper, Professor Samson Adeniji said democracy can only thrive when citizens actively participate in governance beyond casting their votes during elections.
According to him, political participation includes contesting elections, joining political parties, election observation, advocacy, peaceful protests and civic engagement.
Adeniji observed that despite increased youth involvement through digital activism and civic campaigns, structural barriers continue to prevent many young Nigerians from assuming leadership positions.
He identified the high cost of politics, political godfatherism, electoral violence, unemployment, poverty and weak internal party democracy as major obstacles confronting young politicians.
Although the Not Too Young To Run Act has expanded opportunities for younger candidates, Adeniji said many still lack the financial resources, political networks and institutional support required to compete effectively.
He called on governments to implement youth-friendly policies, increase youth appointments and tackle unemployment while urging political parties to reduce nomination fees and strengthen internal democracy.
Also speaking, Dr. Uchenna Umeorekwu linked the persistence of vote-buying to rising poverty and unemployment, arguing that broader economic reforms are necessary to improve the credibility of elections.
On digital politics, Professor Saleh Dauda warned that while technology has transformed political participation, it has also increased the spread of misinformation, fake news and cyber manipulation capable of undermining electoral integrity.
He said digital innovation can strengthen elections only when supported by credible institutions, effective regulation and sustained peace-building initiatives.
Similarly, Professor Magdalene said technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) have reduced over-voting and manual manipulation of election results but cautioned that technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections because vote-buying remains a major challenge.
The report recommended reducing the cost of politics, strengthening electoral institutions, improving civic education, expanding youth and women’s participation in governance and encouraging young Nigerians to reject vote-buying, register to vote, join political parties and build leadership capacity.
It noted that although young people constitute a significant proportion of Nigeria’s estimated 230 million population, they remain underrepresented in both elective and appointive political offices.
The report concluded that meaningful youth participation, stronger democratic institutions and credible elections will be critical to deepening Nigeria’s democracy as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
