Electoral reform: NGO trains Southwest youths on active political participation
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
MAP Media Africa, a non-governmental organization, has commenced training youths in the southwest region on the importance of active political participation and electoral reform in Nigeria.
The team lead of the NGO, Mayowa Adeniran, stated during the one-day training in Osogbo that the initiative aimed to increase youth involvement in political processes and promote sustainable electoral reform.
Adeniran explained that the training would extend across the six states in the southwest geopolitical zone, focusing on mobilizing, empowering, and engaging young people for active participation in elections.
He noted that the NGO was emphasizing five key “youth election reform priorities” in the country.
According to him, these reforms include:
- The establishment of an electoral offences commission,
- Timely transmission of election results,
- Interpretation and amendment of continuous voter registration laws,
- Resolution of pre-election petitions, and
- Reform of the INEC leadership selection process.
“At the end of this project, we aim to see increased youth participation as the 2027 general elections approach. The training is designed to stimulate conversations around electoral reform, the use of digital media for civic engagement, and addressing the causes of voter apathy. It also highlights how youth participation can reduce political violence and inspire others to engage actively in politics,” Adeniran said.
He added that the regional project, supported by Canada Funds for Local Initiatives (CFLI), required trained participants to step down the knowledge by conducting similar training sessions in their respective senatorial districts.
Mrs. Bunmi Eyelade, Southwest Director of Programmes for Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), another NGO, also spoke at the event. She emphasized that the training was aimed at encouraging youths to remain actively involved in electoral processes and reforms.
“We know that at this point, young people are disillusioned about elections in the country, especially considering the events of the 2023 general elections and their aftermath.
“However, this training is expected to motivate young people to see the need for active participation in electoral processes to drive positive change,” Eyelade said.
One of the participants, Adetunji Ajala, Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Osun, stated that the training had enhanced their understanding of proper electoral processes and how things should be conducted in the country.
