The Leadership Entrepreneurship and Advocacy Network Africa says that after 27 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country, democratic structures are still struggling to address deep-seated, multidimensional poverty, insecurity, and youth unemployment.

LEAD’s executive director, Chukwuma Okenwa, said this on Wednesday in Enugu while giving an assessment of uninterrupted democratic rule in Nigeria.

Mr Okenwa noted that the tangible benefits of democratic rule had been inconsistently distributed.

According to him, as Nigeria marks another Democracy Day on Friday, assessing the journey since the return to civilian rule in 1999 reveals a complex landscape of institutional resilience and systemic challenges.

“Electoral processes continue to grapple with integrity crises, low voter turnout, and a judiciary heavily entangled in resolving political disputes.

“Furthermore, the state’s legitimacy faces ongoing challenges due to the consolidation of power among elites and policy failures that do not align with the needs and expectations of the general public,” he said.

Mr Okenwa, however, said that on the positive side, the 27 years represented Nigeria’s longest unbroken stretch of democratic governance since independence in 1960.

He said that the country had successfully institutionalised a culture of regular transitions, highlighted by the historic 2015 alternation of power between political parties.

He noted that civil society had expanded significantly, and digital tools had democratised public discourse, enabling citizens to demand greater transparency.

According to the LEAD Network Africa executive director, Nigeria’s democratic journey remains a work in progress.

“The survival of constitutional rule is a victory over past military disruptions.

“The future of democracy depends on deep institutional reforms, genuine economic inclusivity, and a move beyond procedural elections toward active and welfare-driven governance,” he said.

(NAN)