Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Sam Egwu, has urged Nigerian voters to move beyond mere ballot-casting and thoroughly scrutinise the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Egwu made the call on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in Abuja during the 20th anniversary gala and lecture of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
Delivering the keynote address titled “Reclaiming Civic Space: The Rule of Law, Democratic Accountability, and the Future of Citizens’ Participation in Nigeria” at the event held under the theme “20 Years of Voice and Justice: Empowering Citizens, Shaping Tomorrow,” the political scientist described an open civic space as the fundamental bedrock of any democratic society.
Addressing the audience, Egwu cautioned against passive citizenship and questioned the democratic accountability surrounding key policy decisions implemented by the Tinubu administration.
He explicitly cited the economic impacts of fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange rate unification, the new tax regime, and electricity tariff increases, urging electors to evaluate their personal livelihoods against these policies when taking to the polls in 2027.
Reinforcing Egwu’s position, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, Executive Director of CHRICED, explained that the organisation was established two decades ago to combat citizen exclusion from governance and safeguard civil liberties from systemic intimidation.
Adding to the discussion, Dr. Dayo Olaide, Chairman of the occasion and CHRICED Board Member, asserted that sustaining democracy requires active, continuous public engagement.
Olaide emphasized that making democracy work is a collective responsibility starting with speaking up, adding that citizens must ensure their votes truly count and that electoral outcomes reflect the genuine will of the people.
The anniversary event concluded with the unveiling of two new publications detailing CHRICED’s civic engagements and public policy interventions conducted from 2020 to 2026.
