By Omoyeni Ojeifo
With the 2027 general elections just around the corner, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) have sounded the alarm over the rising influence of money in politics, electoral violence, and dwindling voter turnout, warning that these issues pose a severe threat to Nigeria’s democratic stability.
The concerns were raised at a media briefing in Abuja to mark the 2026 Democracy Day, organized by IPCR in collaboration with SFCG, themed “Say No to Electoral Violence” on Thursday.
Persecondnews correspondent at the briefing reports that the organisations warned that the monetisation of politics is increasingly limiting citizens’ participation in the democratic process.
The IPCR Director-General, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, told journalists that the growing influence of money in politics is deepening inequality in political participation.
“The monetisation of politics systematically excludes a significant population of citizens from political participation, creating a system where access to power is increasingly determined by wealth rather than civic engagement,” he said.
According to him, the widening inequality could weaken democratic inclusion and reduce fair representation in the political process.
“If the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen and political participation remains influenced by money, democracy risks becoming an elitist system where only the wealthy can effectively compete,” he noted.
Ochogwu also warned that weak civic culture and low participation are undermining democratic consolidation, stressing that these are not necessarily failures of the democratic system itself.
“They stem from inadequate citizen participation, weak democratic culture, limited civic knowledge and declining engagement in electoral and governance processes,” he said.
He further expressed concern over electoral violence, intimidation and hate speech, noting their impact on democratic credibility.
“Electoral violence not only suppresses voter turnout and discourages citizen participation, it also undermines the credibility and legitimacy of electoral outcomes,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director of Programmes at Search for Common Ground, Gift Omonina, called for inclusive and collaborative approaches to addressing conflict drivers in Nigeria.
She said democracy must be protected through collective action that strengthens peacebuilding and social cohesion.
“While democracy is a treasure for our country, we all need to guard it jealously, and in doing so, we must jointly work together to address the drivers of conflict in our country today,” she said.
Omonina stressed the need for win-win approaches to insecurity, banditry and kidnapping.
She warned that young people remain vulnerable to recruitment into violent extremism if not meaningfully engaged.
She also highlighted an SFCG initiative showcasing alternatives to violent extremism through a reality television programme featuring youths from Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara States.
“We want to showcase their journey and inspire the country that there are viable alternatives to violent extremism, and that with collective effort, young people can become agents of peace and change in their communities,” she added.
Persecondnews reports that both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening democracy, peace and social cohesion in Nigeria through continued collaboration.
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