Young Nigerians have been challenged to participate actively in politics and governance to claim political power and demand accountability from elected officials.
This was the focus of a youth capacity-building programme organized by Gold Heart Foundation, Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP), and Capstone Mission.
The project is led by WYDE Civic Engagement, implemented by Democracy Reporting International (DRI) in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and powered by the European Union and the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
The programme, themed “A Step-Down Capacity Building for Representatives of Youth Groups Using Digital Training Package (DTP),” gathered youth leaders including persons with disabilities leaders to discuss strategies for boosting youth participation in governance and protecting electoral integrity.
One of the organisers, Mr. Tolulope Akinwole Solomon (Capstone Mission) encouraged young people to channel their energy into the electoral process, stressing that engagement begins with registering for PVC. He urged youths to start at the grassroots level to build influence and effect lasting change.
The executive director, Gold Heart Foundation, Moyinoluwa Ogundowole said the time for youth leadership is now, lamenting that older politicians often resist relinquishing power and block opportunities for the next generation. More reasons we are stepping this training after being trained by CJID. “Young people can lead and they should,” she said, adding that beyond protests, young citizens need reliable information about governance and practical pathways to participate in political processes.
Facilitators identified vote-buying as a major threat to democratic progress and warned that the practice diminishes the value of each ballot. They therefore called on participants to sensitize their communities against it.
Meanwhile, one of the participants, Mr. ThankGod Ochai , raised concerns that some votes are effectively nullified when powerful actors manipulate election outcomes to silence the majority. In response, Moyinoluwa Ogundowole called for robust election-day vigilance, including verification of results at every polling unit and close monitoring of the electoral process. She said increased civic involvement will make it easier to hold officials accountable.
The training also featured sessions on digital tools for civic engagement and practical steps youth representatives can take to strengthen democratic participation in their communities.
The programme ended with a clarion call for youths to rise to the duty of full participation in the electoral process.
