Youths throughout Nigeria and Africa have been urged to actively take part in politics, decision-making and governance to strengthen democracy and promote accountability throughout the continent.
The name was made yesterday in Abuja on the 2026 #RepairPolitics Africa Conference, which targeted on the way forward for elections in Africa and the function of residents in shaping political energy and demanding accountable governance.
The Chairman of Bigs Politics Hub, Frank Nweke, stated the organisation had a duty to organise and mobilise residents round points affecting the nation.
Nweke stated its goal was to lift public consciousness, encourage participation in elections and promote sustained civic engagement past the polls.
“Everyone’s affected, right? And so we also feel a sense of responsibility to really organise, mobilise, have some of these conversations, again towards achieving one’s wishes, to arouse the consciousness of our people,” he stated.
He urged Nigerians to recognise their particular person and collective obligations in strengthening the nation’s democratic course of.
Similarly, the Executive Director of RepairPolitics Africa, Anthony Ubani, stated the convention had advanced over the previous 4 years from an annual platform for political discussions into an initiative in search of to construct a broader civic motion.
Ubani stated the organisers had realised that holding an annual convention with out mechanisms to translate its resolutions into concrete motion was not adequate.
He defined that the fourth version was designed to maneuver past discussions in the direction of constructing a motion able to taking suggestions to communities, states, nations and establishments throughout Africa.
“This year, we have thought deeply and considered that it’s important to just move from having a moment of the Africa Conference every year to have a transition into a movement,” Ubani stated.
He stated the convention featured a roundtable of thinkers and specialists from throughout Africa who developed concepts, options and proposals for advancing the initiative.
According to him, the discussions produced what he described as “very germane ideas”, prompting the organisers to determine a small suppose tank to comply with up on the suggestions.
Ubani stated the aim was to make sure that the convention produced measurable actions and progress that may very well be introduced on the 2027 Africa Conference.
Also talking, former Minister of Education, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, stated the affect of cash in Nigerian politics may very well be overcome if residents recognised their collective energy and have become extra actively engaged within the democratic course of.
She challenged Nigerians to vote in their very own pursuits and maintain elected officers accountable for delivering good governance.
Ezekwesili acknowledged issues concerning the affect of cash in politics however argued that residents may collectively reject poor governance by exercising their electoral energy.
“Somebody can say, oh, you’re not being reasonable. I imply, how do you combat cash of the type that we’ve got seen in our politics? But it seems that it involves a time when cash not works.
“We’ve seen it in other countries. There have been countries where citizens woke up one day and said, okay, you all can have all the money, but we’re tired of being poorly governed,” she stated.
She stated the convention was designed to encourage residents to unlock their collective energy and deploy it via the electoral course of.
The former minister confused that elections shouldn’t be handled as a one-day exercise, noting that attaining good governance required sustained citizen engagement earlier than, throughout and after elections.
“The day of election is a moment. Being governed and governed well requires a movement because it requires permanent engagement. It is not a periodic thing. It is not an episodic thing,” she stated.
Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to stay vigilant after elections and constantly demand accountability from elected officers.
She stated residents who needed the liberty to prosper and stay in an atmosphere conducive to productiveness should stay actively concerned in governance.
Citing former United States President Thomas Jefferson’s commentary that “eternal vigilance is the price of freedom”, she urged Nigerians to hitch the rising demand for higher governance.
“If you don’t demand for it, nobody supplies it. You won’t get out of elections,” she stated.
Addressing issues over alleged makes an attempt by highly effective people to govern the electoral course of, Ezekwesili urged residents to not be intimidated by folks in positions of affect.
She maintained that sovereignty in the end belonged to the folks and expressed confidence that residents’ political consciousness would proceed to develop.
“I’ve been talking to my fellow citizens. I’m encouraging my citizens to remember that Nigeria belongs to all of us. And sovereignty belongs to the people,” she stated.
Ezekwesili added that political circumstances may change, warning Nigerians towards assuming that current energy buildings would stay unchanged completely
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