International Democracy Day
Stand Up, Speak Out: The Urgent Mission to Defend and Save Nigeria’s Democracy
As the world marks the International Day of Democracy, the National Association of Seadogs ( Pyrates Confraternity) joins citizens and democratic institutions across the globe in reaffirming the enduring values of popular participation, inclusion, accountability, human rights, and responsible governance.
This year’s theme, “Raising Hands and Voices – Fostering Agency and Ownership through Deliberative Democracy,” is particularly significant for Nigeria at this critical juncture in our democratic journey. At the core of deliberative democracy is the unambiguous reality that political decisions flow from robust discussions and debate by citizens. This effectively places citizens as the raison d’etre for democracy. In other words, democracy exists to improve the lives of the citizens through good governance.
Since the return to civil rule in 1999, Nigeria has sustained an uninterrupted democratic experiment spanning more than two decades. This achievement should neither be taken for granted nor mistaken for evidence that our democracy has fully matured. Rather, it places upon all Nigerians an even greater responsibility to protect, deepen and improve the democratic process as stakeholders.
Democracy is more than periodic elections. It is the continuous participation of citizens in determining how they are governed, holding leaders accountable, and ensuring that institutions serve the public interest.
Regrettably, in Nigeria, political parties that are supposed to function as a platform for the aggregation of citizens and where diverse views of citizens are filtered and designed into policy pronouncements and manifestos have functioned mainly as Special Purpose Vehicles SPVs) to grab power rather than as a platform for ideological debate and civic engagement. The implication of this distortion of a core function of a political party is the increasing wave of dictatorial tendencies and undemocratic behaviour that ignores citizens’ interests and undermines Nigeria’s Democracy.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the country stands at yet another important democratic crossroads. The credibility of the elections will depend not only on who wins, but on whether Nigerians can trust how the winners emerged.
We therefore call on all political parties, candidates, election officials, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and, most importantly, citizens to work towards an electoral process in which every legitimate vote counts and every voter can participate without fear, intimidation or manipulation.
We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a genuinely level playing field for all political parties and candidates. INEC must remain firmly independent and transparent. It must maintain impartiality and show demonstrable commitment to the principle that every eligible Nigerian has an equal right to participate in the electoral process and that all votes must be counted.
The lessons of the 2023 elections are still fresh and must not be ignored. The difficulties surrounding the deployment of electoral technology, including the challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission and viewing of results, contributed to public concerns about the transparency and credibility of that particular process, and Nigerians have not forgotten.
Technology must strengthen democracy, not become a source of uncertainty. INEC must therefore ensure that every technological system it intends to deploy in 2027 is thoroughly and independently stress-tested. It must be adequately backed up and supported by reliable infrastructure and trained personnel. There must be clear contingency arrangements for technology failure, while election results should be transmitted, collated and published in a manner that Nigerians and political stakeholders can independently verify. There must be no excuse for preventable technological failure during next year’s polls.
Beyond that, it is imperative that we draw attention to the danger of electoral malpractice, especially vote buying, which has continued to undermine the will of the people and must have no place in Nigeria’s democracy. It is saddening that money has become a determining factor in Nigeria’s electoral process. There is no way Nigerians can demand deliberative democracy and seek to be part of the decision-making process in governance when they have traded their votes for cash. Vote buying has assumed the status of a national disaster, a cankerworm gradually eroding the credibility of democratic institutions, entrenching corruption, destroying democracy, and evolving into a major threat to national security. Nigerians must reject vote buying for its destructive effect on democracy.
The theme of this year’s International Day of Democracy reminds us that democracy cannot thrive when citizens are passive spectators. Nigerians must raise their hands and voices. In addition to raising our voices, we must recognise the extraordinary power that rests in our hands on election day.
No politician can govern without the consent – expressed directly or indirectly – of the people. Nigerians must therefore resist the temptation to sell their votes, vote along purely ethnic or religious lines, or allow politicians to determine their choices through fear, misinformation, inducements and empty promises. Citizens must scrutinise candidates. They must ask questions and examine records. They must participate in political discussions. They must demand accountability from elected representatives. And when election day comes, they must vote and protect the integrity of that vote.
Young Nigerians and first-time voters in particular must recognise that democracy belongs to them too. Their voices must not merely be heard during campaigns; they must shape the choices and policies that determine their future. Democracy gives citizens, young and old, the right to choose their leaders. It also gives them the responsibility to choose wisely.
We urge the media and civil society to strengthen civic education, fact-checking, voter information, and public scrutiny of the electoral process. And to all Nigerians, we say: do not despair and surrender your democratic power to apathy. The future of Nigeria cannot be left exclusively to politicians. Democracy belongs to the people, and its quality ultimately reflects the level of participation, vigilance, and responsibility of its citizens.
We believe that Nigeria’s democratic journey, despite its imperfections, remains worth defending and strengthening. Our task is not merely to preserve democracy as a system of government, but to make it work better for the people. So this is the time to stand up, speak up, defend and save democracy.
Dr. Charles Meribole
NAS Cap’n
Abuja
