2027 Election: CSO Leaders Warn Exclusion May Lead to Unrest, Instability
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - Leaders in the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have warned against the continued exclusion of women, youths, and People Living with Disability from governance ahead of the 2027 elections.
A senior lecturer in Political Science and International Relations at Nile University in Nigeria, Dr. Iroro S. Izu, urged on Nigerian government to ensure a rapid approach to enforcing inclusivity in law-making.
Source: UGC
Izu also called on the government to ensure more women are involved in the entire political process, beginning with the National Assembly.
The political scientist, the youth aspect has tremendously gained some successes; hence, "let us do it also for the women."
He stated this while speaking during the 2nd Annual Otivism Lecture to mark the 62nd birthday of a Pro-democracy activist and development expert, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, on Friday, September 5, 2025, in Abuja.
According to the statement made available to Legit.ng, Dr Izu said:
"In Nigeria, inclusive governance faces precarious conditions marked by limited participation of marginalized groups, particularly women, youths, and people with disabilities, in economic, social, and mainly political processes.
"This exclusion hinders effective representation and decision-making, potentially leading to social and political instability. Efforts to promote inclusion are often hampered by institutional, individual, and socio-cultural or patriarchal barriers, requiring comprehensive and collaborative interventions to extirpate.
"There is no doubt that the absence of inclusivity in governance has had dismal consequences on the Nigerian state. Exclusion from governance has created a sense of injustice, marginalization, and resentment, all of which have the potential of fueling social unrest, instability, and enthroning a state devoid of real patriotism, citizen loyalty, and collective action towards progress."
The pro-democracy activist warned that if the vast majority of God-fearing people, religious, and professionals from all walks of life shy away from active participation in politics due to the notion that it is a dirty game, they stand the risk of leaving the terrain to charlatans to administer the country.
In his own, a prominent civil society leader, Comrade Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the struggle for inclusivity is a long-drawn battle.
Nwagwu added that the system the country is operating is patriarchal in complexion.
Source: Legit.ng
