Ayo Arise Advocates for Credible Elections in Nigeria

Senator Ayo Arise, a former member of the National Assembly and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, spoke at a lecture titled ‘Internal party democracy, good governance, the media and the future of Nigerian democracy’ in Ado Ekiti. He stressed that the current democratic experience in Nigeria is a result of collective efforts from citizens and various sectors, not just politicians.

Arise urged for reforms in political parties to allow genuine participation from members and called for improvements in electoral institutions to enhance credibility and transparency. He highlighted the importance of media independence and citizen engagement in democracy, stating that good governance is essential for democratic legitimacy.

Arise lamented the negative impacts of godfatherism and money politics on political parties and urged citizens to actively participate in the democratic process by voting and seeking credible information. He concluded that democracy is meaningful when citizens remain engaged after elections.