By Michael Oche
Accord Party presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, and former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, have called for reforms to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
They spoke at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of civic advocate, Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, and the presentation of his book, Eze Unhinged: Electoral Reforms, A Participant’s View and Reflections.
Olawepo-Hashim identified distrust in the electoral process, poverty, insecurity, logistical challenges and dissatisfaction with candidates as factors contributing to declining voter turnout in Nigeria.
Chiroma, who chaired the colloquium, called for independent democratic institutions, wider economic opportunities and a national identity that transcended ethnic loyalties.
He said Nigeria needed to move away from a system dominated by powerful individuals towards one in which institutions operated independently and protected citizens regardless of their political affiliation or social status.
The former law school director-general commended Nwagwu for documenting his experiences and reflections on Nigeria’s electoral process, describing the publication as a contribution to ongoing discussions on electoral reforms and democratic development.
He noted that sharing practical experiences and lessons from the electoral process could help deepen understanding of the challenges confronting Nigeria’s democracy and inform efforts to strengthen its institutions.
Olawepo-Hashim, who was represented by the Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Prof. Abiodun Gabriel Adeniyi, said presidential election turnout fell from 69.08 per cent in 2003 to 26.71 per cent in 2023, citing figures from International IDEA.
He urged authorities to make elections safer, more accessible, transparent and meaningful, rather than blame citizens for withdrawing from a process in which they had lost confidence.
The presidential candidate also warned that poverty was undermining citizens’ capacity to participate meaningfully in democracy.
“Poverty does not extinguish political rights, but it can diminish the capacity to exercise them when survival consumes the time, resources, and energy required for meaningful participation,” he said.
He argued that democracy should be judged not only by the institutions a country establishes but also by the opportunities they create for citizens to live with dignity and contribute to national development.
According to him, millions of Nigerians continued to struggle to afford food, housing, healthcare, transportation and education despite the existence of constitutional institutions.
Olawepo-Hashim also called for economic reforms that would translate Nigeria’s natural resources into jobs, enterprise, productive capacity and improved living standards.
He cited high energy costs as an example of the disconnect between the country’s resource wealth and the realities confronting households and businesses.
He advocated transparent cost accounting, reliable domestic crude supply and efficient refining, alongside attention to foreign exchange, logistics and taxation, to reduce energy costs.
Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, criticised Nigerian political parties for what he described as a lack of clear ideological direction, arguing that the country had yet to develop a sustainable democratic system despite 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule.
He urged citizens to understand their power within the democratic system and demand accountability from elected officials.
Melaye identified representation, lawmaking and oversight as the three fundamental responsibilities of legislators, arguing that effective performance of these duties would improve democratic governance.
He also called for equal civic rights for Nigerians regardless of where they lived within the federation and urged political parties to provide meaningful opportunities for women and young people.
Nwagwu identified restrictive cultural practices, financial constraints and political interests as major obstacles to women’s participation in politics.
He criticised the limited representation of women in political party leadership structures, noting that assigning them designated leadership positions did not necessarily give them sufficient influence over party decisions.
He called on political parties to dismantle the financial, cultural and political barriers preventing women and other underrepresented groups from participating fully in politics.
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Ike Neliaku, called on political leaders to move beyond ethnic, religious and generational divisions, arguing that inclusion was essential to national progress.
He advocated collaboration between younger and older Nigerians, noting that young people brought energy, creativity and innovation, while older generations offered experience, networks and institutional knowledge.
The occasion was graced by Comrade Joe Ajaero, president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); Presidents of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU ); Executive Secretary National Human Rights commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu SAN; Director General of National Institute for Democracy and Legislative Studies (NIDLS) Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman; former Executive Secretary of TETFund, professor Sulayman Bogoro; Pastor Amaechi Udeaku, zonal Director of Christ Embassy Zone 2 Abuja, Director General National Institute for Sports, Philip Shuibu, top civil society actors, among others
