AS Nigeria prepares to commemorate Democracy Day and looks toward the 2027 general elections, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) is convening a virtual meeting to address growing threats to the nation’s democratic future.
The dialogue, to be held on X Space, is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9, according to a statement by the WSCIJ Communication Officer, Confidence Ojuh. The meeting has its themes around rebuilding democratic participation through accountability journalism.
It will examine how the media, civil society, and public institutions can restore trust in democratic processes and re-engage citizens ahead of the 2027 elections.
“As the 2027 elections approach, the upcoming June 2026 edition of the Journalism & Society Conversations will get straight to the heartbeat of this challenge. We are bringing together a powerhouse panel of media executives, civic leaders, and electoral administrators to examine how accountability and grassroots journalism can restore public confidence and re-energise citizen participation,” Ojuh said.
The ICIR reports that more than three decades after the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election, citizens participation in elections is declining at an alarming rate. Rising public distrust, economic hardship, insecurity, misinformation, and widespread disillusionment with governance have contributed to a steady withdrawal of citizens from the democratic process.
Against this backdrop, the WSCIJ urged citizens to join the conversation through this link to hear from its speakers which includes David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor at Africa Check; Muftau Gbadegesin, sustainable development practitioner; Theresa Maduekwe, South-East Zonal Director of the National Orientation Agency; Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Victorson Agbenson, Political Editor of Radio Nigeria and General Manager of Bronze FM Benin; and Adebowale Olorunmola, democracy and grassroots mobilisation specialist.
The urgency of the discussion is reflected in electoral participation data released by INEC. Voter turnout has fallen consistently over nearly two decades from 57.54 per cent in 2007 to 53.68 per cent in 2011, 43.65 per cent in 2015, and 34.75 per cent in 2019.
The trend reached a historic low during the 2023 general elections, when only 26.72 per cent of registered voters participated. Of the 93.46 million registered voters and 87.20 million Permanent Voter Cards collected, just 24.9 million Nigerians cast their ballots.
Experts warn that such declining participation poses a significant challenge to democratic governance, as democracy depends on active citizen engagement, accountability, and public confidence in institutions.
Ojuh explained that conversation at the dialogue would move beyond routine election discussions to interrogate the deeper causes of democratic disillusionment and explore practical pathways for rebuilding public trust.
She also added that discussions would focus on the factors driving voter apathy, including governance failures and declining faith in electoral outcomes, as panelists will also examine the growing influence of misinformation, artificial intelligence-driven manipulation, and political propaganda on public perception.
The communication officer noted that the event would further explore how newsrooms could strengthen civic education, simplify complex governance issues, combat disinformation, and promote citizen engagement beyond election cycles.
She added that the conversation is intended not only to commemorate the legacy of June 12 but also to generate practical solutions for strengthening democratic accountability and restoring citizens’ confidence in governance.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.