In efforts to extend the message of electoral reform to institutions of Nigeria, Mandate4 engaged students of Veritas University, Abuja, in a thought-provoking civic awareness session as part of its ongoing #FixINEC #FixNigeria campaign.

Held in March 6, 2025, the session drew a strong turnout of students eager to understand the flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system and explore their role in shaping a more transparent and accountable democracy. Far from a typical lecture, the engagement offered students an opportunity to reflect, question, and act.

In a spirited engagement with Catholic youths in Abuja, Mandate4 hosted an impactful civic awareness session with members of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON), Kubwa Deanery, on March 22, 2025, as part of its ongoing #FixINEC #FixNigeria campaign.

Held at St. Edwin’s Parish in Kubwa, the event brought together young Catholic and parishioners for a compelling conversation on the state of Nigeria’s electoral system, the consequences of flawed elections, and the urgent need for reform. With Nigeria’s youth bearing the brunt of poor governance and rising political disillusionment, the session sought to awaken civic consciousness and mobilize collective action toward democratic accountability.

The #FixINEC campaign, an initiative of Mandate4, is a citizen-led advocacy hub working to drive electoral reform by equipping Nigerians with the knowledge, tools, and organizing power to demand transparency, institutional independence, and electoral integrity.

“Fixing Nigeria starts with fixing INEC,” said Damian Attah, researcher and policy expert at Mandate4, during his address to the young audience. “And fixing INEC begins with citizens, especially young people, demanding a system that works and refusing to normalize failure.”

Participants engaged in lively discussions on how flawed elections affect everything from education and employment to national security and public trust. In the course of the engagement, participants signed #FixINEC petition as an expression of their commitment to driving reforms in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

The event underscored the critical role faith-based youth communities can play in national transformation, leveraging values of justice, accountability, and moral responsibility to champion a better Nigeria.

As the campaign continues to expand across religious, educational, and local community spaces, Mandate4 reaffirmed its commitment to making democracy relatable and actionable – one citizen, one community at a time.

In a spirited engagement with Catholic youths in Abuja, Mandate4 hosted an impactful civic awareness session with members of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON), Kubwa Deanery, on March 22, 2025, as part of its ongoing #FixINEC #FixNigeria campaign.

Held at St. Edwin’s Parish in Kubwa, the event brought together young Catholic and parishioners for a compelling conversation on the state of Nigeria’s electoral system, the consequences of flawed elections, and the urgent need for reform. With Nigeria’s youth bearing the brunt of poor governance and rising political disillusionment, the session sought to awaken civic consciousness and mobilize collective action toward democratic accountability.

The #FixINEC campaign, an initiative of Mandate4, is a citizen-led advocacy hub working to drive electoral reform by equipping Nigerians with the knowledge, tools, and organizing power to demand transparency, institutional independence, and electoral integrity.

“Fixing Nigeria starts with fixing INEC,” said Damian Attah, researcher and policy expert at Mandate4, during his address to the young audience. “And fixing INEC begins with citizens, especially young people, demanding a system that works and refusing to normalize failure.”

Participants engaged in lively discussions on how flawed elections affect everything from education and employment to national security and public trust. In the course of the engagement, participants signed #FixINEC petition as an expression of their commitment to driving reforms in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

The event underscored the critical role faith-based youth communities can play in national transformation, leveraging values of justice, accountability, and moral responsibility to champion a better Nigeria.

As the campaign continues to expand across religious, educational, and local community spaces, Mandate4 reaffirmed its commitment to making democracy relatable and actionable – one citizen, one community at a time.

Abuja, Nigeria – May 17, 2025
Over 200 residents of Paipe community in Abuja gathered for a groundbreaking community engagement event organized by Mandate4’s #FixINEC campaign, aimed at simplifying electoral complexities through a participatory and gamified learning experience.

The event, titled “Grassroots Democracy in Action”, brought civic education directly to the people, using a game-based simulation to replicate the stages of Nigeria’s electoral process – flawed, partially reformed, and fully credible elections. Participants, including first-time voters, youth, women, and civic mobilizers, took part in a highly engaging, structured experience designed to foster critical thinking and drive citizen demand for electoral reforms.

Each participant group selected a candidate to represent their “canopy” (political bloc) and participated in three simulated election rounds:

• Round 1 – Flawed Elections: Orchestrated to expose systemic irregularities such as rigging and voter suppression, this round triggered immediate reactions and conversations about Nigeria’s current democratic shortcomings.
• Round 2 – Partial Reforms: Although adjusted based on participants’ feedback, hidden manipulation persisted. This round served as a mirror to pseudo-reforms often presented as progress.
• Round 3 – Free, Fair & Credible Elections: With rules co-created by citizens and enforced by “Vote Protectors,” this final round showcased what a truly transparent and people-owned electoral process could look like.

Each simulation phase was followed by guided reflection sessions, allowing citizens to propose actionable solutions and link their experiences to broader national reform goals.

This immersive civic education model demonstrated that electoral reform is not just a policy issue, but a people’s issue. By demystifying democratic processes and allowing citizens to “live” the experience, the Paipe engagement transformed passive voters into active stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic future.

Speaking at the event, the Founder of Mandate4 emphasized the importance of replicating this model across communities in Nigeria to a community-based mobilization network to demand for electoral reform.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” a Century said, “It must be experienced, questioned, and co-created by the people it is meant to serve.”

With the Paipe community now more informed, inspired, and organized, the #FixINEC campaign takes another meaningful step towards building a credible, transparent, and citizen-owned electoral system in Nigeria.

In a powerful gathering of civic voices, Mandate4 convened a transformative Democracy Day Town Hall on June 12 to reflect on the state of Nigerian democracy and forge a path toward genuine democratic renewal.

Held to mark the anniversary of the historic June 12, 1993 elections, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest, the event brought together political reformers, policy experts, youth leaders, and everyday citizens to reimagine the future of democratic governance.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili, founder of FixPolitics, challenged the celebratory tone often associated with Democracy Day. Instead, she called attention to widespread disillusionment and democratic stagnation. She introduced the concept of “monopoly democracy,” a system where political power is captured by an elite few, eliminating competition and silencing citizens.

In his impassioned speech, civic advocate Peter Akah emphasized that anger, while valid, is not a strategy. He linked Nigeria’s deepening insecurity and economic hardship to systemic corruption and electoral malpractice, underscoring the urgent need for electoral reforms, particularly the electronic transmission of results.

Renowned activist Aisha Yesufu called on Nigerians to reject money politics and support candidates with competence, character, and capacity. She decried vote-buying and political apathy, urging citizens to fund credible candidates and demand real accountability beyond elections.

She urged Nigerians to reclaim their democracy through conscious, sustained participation in the political process. 

Alero Ayida-Otobo, CEO of SPPG Africa, warned that Nigeria is in a downward spiral, marked by mass poverty, stalled development, and leadership failure.

She called attention to the entrenched leadership crisis in Nigeria, pointing out that many in positions of authority approach governance as a means of personal gain, not public service.

“To change Nigeria’s story, we don’t just need policies,  we need a new class of value-driven leaders” she said.

Seun Onigbinde, Co-founder of BudgIT, identified key democratic pillars that require urgent attention: electoral competitiveness, civil dialogue, human rights protection, and sustainable development.

“If we’re going to fix Nigeria, we must fix the democratic foundations first,” he said.

Founder of Mandate4 and convener of the Town Hall, Century Favour, stressed the need to shift toward strategic, long-term action. He challenged widespread political disillusionment and affirms that no politician or savior will fix Nigeria, the responsibility lies with the Nigerian people, organized and united around shared values.

He unveiled a multi-pronged citizen-led strategy to reform Nigeria’s political system. His approach includes dismantling money politics, reclaiming INEC and the judiciary with principled actors, and mobilizing issue-based voting blocs around electoral reform, budget accountability, gender inclusion, and state restructuring.

He introduced “Citizens United,” a civic technology platform designed to equip Nigerians with tools to track leaders, engage with policy, monitor elections, and organize grassroots action. Other initiatives include:

• The New Class Accelerator to cultivate value-driven political leaders.
• Organizing schools to train five million Nigerians in grassroots mobilization.

The June 12 Democracy Day Town Hall reasserted that Nigeria’s democratic renewal must come from the ground up; from citizens reclaiming power, rewriting the rules, and refusing to wait for permission to lead.

Mandate4.org

Mandate4 is a Nation-Building Non-Profit on a mission to elevate the quality of our politics, strengthen democracy, and ensure good governance outcomes at scale for Africa’s 1.2 billion people.