By Joel Gwom
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, has called on Nigerian youths to reject voter apathy and take an active role in the country’s democratic process.
The Director of Civic Values and Democracy Education at the NOA, Olukemi Afolayan, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at an election roundtable organised by Create Studio Nigeria and the Humanitarian Foundation for Social Justice.
Afolayan, who represented the Director-General of the agency, said Nigeria is currently faced with declining public trust, voter apathy, misinformation, vote buying, election violence, and a growing perception among young people that their votes do not count.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director of the Humanitarian Foundation for Social Justice, Adekunle Adebanjo, said the roundtable was designed to assess the gains and challenges of Nigeria’s democratic journey and proffer practical solutions to strengthen the electoral process ahead of 2027.
Adebanjo noted that democracy must ultimately deliver development, improve citizens’ living conditions, expand opportunities, and protect fundamental rights.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Michael Ajibade, Founder of the proposed Horizon International University, urged young Nigerians to see themselves as active participants in democracy rather than just “leaders of tomorrow.”
He challenged youths to move beyond expressing political opinions on social media and take concrete steps to engage in the democratic process.
The roundtable, themed ‘Reclaiming Our Vote: Enfranchising a New Generation of Voters’, was organised by Create Studio Nigeria in partnership with the Humanitarian Foundation for Social Justice.