By Chidinma Chukwu, Abuja
Former Minister of Education, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, has urged Nigerian and African youths to harness their collective political power to overcome money-driven politics, demand accountable leadership and shape the continent’s future.
Ezekwesili made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 #FixPolitics Africa Conference, themed “Reimagining Elections in Africa: Restoring Citizens as the True Owners of Power.”
She said citizens could weaken the influence of money in politics by recognising their collective strength, participating actively in elections and holding elected officials accountable for good governance.
The former minister acknowledged that money had become a major influence in Nigeria’s political process but argued that its power could diminish when citizens collectively rejected poor governance and demanded leadership that served their interests.
“Somebody can say, oh, you’re not being realistic. I mean, how do you fight money of the kind that we have seen in our politics? But it turns out that it comes to a time when money no longer works.
“We’ve seen it in other countries. There have been countries where citizens woke up one day and said, okay, you all can have all the money, but we’re tired of being poorly governed,” she said.
Ezekwesili said the conference was designed to help citizens recognise and unlock their collective power by exercising their democratic rights and using the electoral process to influence political leadership.
She, however, cautioned against limiting citizens’ participation in governance to election periods, stressing that the demand for accountable leadership must continue long after votes had been cast.
According to her, elections represent only a moment in the democratic process, while achieving good governance requires a sustained movement driven by citizens’ continuous engagement with those in power.
“The day of election is a moment. Being governed and governed well requires a movement because it requires permanent engagement. It is not a periodic thing. It is not an episodic thing,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to remain vigilant after elections and consistently demand accountability from elected officials, adding that those who desired the freedom to prosper and live in an environment that supported productivity must take an active interest in how they were governed.
Citing former United States President Thomas Jefferson’s observation that “eternal vigilance is the price of freedom,” Ezekwesili said citizens must be prepared to demand the governance they desire.
“If you don’t demand for it, nobody supplies it. You won’t get out of elections,” she said.
Addressing concerns about alleged attempts by powerful individuals to manipulate the electoral process, Ezekwesili urged citizens not to be intimidated by those wielding political or financial influence.
She maintained that sovereignty ultimately rested with the people, expressing confidence that growing political consciousness among citizens would strengthen their ability to influence Nigeria’s leadership and democratic future.
“I’ve been talking to my fellow citizens. I’m encouraging my citizens to remember that Nigeria belongs to all of us. And sovereignty belongs to the people,” she said.
She added that political circumstances were not permanent, warning Nigerians against assuming that existing power structures would remain unchanged.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Bigs Politics Hub, Frank Nweke, said the organisation considered it its responsibility to mobilise citizens and provide platforms for discussions on issues affecting the country.
Nweke said the initiative sought to raise public consciousness, encourage electoral participation and promote sustained civic engagement as part of efforts to strengthen democracy.
“Everyone’s affected, right? And so we also feel a sense of responsibility to really organise, mobilise, have some of these conversations, again towards achieving one’s wishes, to arouse the consciousness of our people,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to recognise that strengthening the country’s democratic process required the collective efforts of citizens, rather than the actions of political leaders alone.
Similarly, the Executive Director of Fix Politics Africa, Anthony Ubani, said the conference had evolved over the past four years from an annual platform for political discussions into an initiative seeking to establish a broader civic movement across Africa.
Ubani said the organisers had recognised the limitations of holding annual conferences without concrete mechanisms to implement resolutions and translate discussions into meaningful change.
He explained that the fourth edition was therefore focused on moving beyond periodic gatherings to building a movement capable of taking recommendations to communities, states, countries and relevant institutions across the continent.
“This year, we have thought deeply and considered that it’s important to just move from having a moment of the Africa Conference every year to have a transition into a movement,” Ubani said.
He disclosed that the conference featured a roundtable involving thinkers and experts from different African countries who examined challenges facing the continent and developed recommendations for addressing them.
According to him, the discussions generated what he described as “very germane ideas”, prompting the organisers to establish a small think tank to follow up on the recommendations and drive their implementation.
Ubani said the objective was to ensure that the conference produced tangible results rather than ending with discussions, adding that the organisers hoped to demonstrate measurable progress when participants reconvened for the 2027 Africa Conference.
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