Former Senator and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayo Arise, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s political parties, warning that democracy cannot thrive when parties seeking to govern the country fail to practise democracy within their own ranks.
Arise made the call at the 2026 Annual Lecture, Awards and Launching of Digital Journalism Tools organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Internal Party Democracy, Good Governance, the Media, and the Future of Nigerian Democracy’, the former lawmaker said the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depended not only on periodic elections but also on what happens between elections, particularly the quality of political parties, governance and the media.
According to him, internal party democracy must guarantee members genuine opportunities to participate in the selection of party officials, candidates and policies.
He warned that the manipulation of party primaries by powerful individuals was undermining democratic development.
Arise identified godfatherism, money politics, weak party institutions, lack of transparency and political defections as some of the major challenges confronting internal democracy in the country.
He argued that political parties should not become personal properties of influential individuals, stressing that politics must create opportunities for competent young people, women and professionals who might lack enormous financial resources but possess the capacity to contribute meaningfully to governance.
On good governance, Arise said democracy would remain largely theoretical if citizens could not feel its impact in their daily lives.
He identified access to quality education, healthcare, security, employment, infrastructure, electricity and affordable food as some of the practical indicators through which citizens judged the success or failure of democratic governance.
The former senator also charged the media to remain independent, professional and courageous in performing its watchdog role.
He urged journalists to continue investigating public affairs, exposing wrongdoing and providing citizens with credible information without fear or favour.
Arise, however, warned of the growing danger of misinformation and political propaganda on social media, urging journalists and citizens to verify information before publishing or sharing it.
“Freedom of expression does not eliminate the responsibility to tell the truth,” he said, stressing that an uninformed electorate was vulnerable to manipulation.
Arise said internal party democracy, good governance and a strong media were interconnected pillars of a healthy democracy, adding that credible parties were more likely to produce better candidates while responsible governance would strengthen public trust.
He called on political parties to respect their constitutions, maintain credible membership registers, conduct transparent primaries and create greater opportunities for young people, women and persons with disabilities to participate in politics.
He also urged citizens to reject vote-buying and political violence, participate actively in democratic processes and seek information from credible sources.
The former senator, who was honoured with an Award of Excellence at the event, maintained that despite its shortcomings, democracy remained Nigeria’s most viable system of government because it provided room for adjustment, improvement and constant vigilance by citizens and the media.
He said the future of Nigerian democracy would ultimately depend on whether political parties could respect their members, governments could respond to citizens, institutions could uphold the rule of law and the media could perform its responsibilities independently.
“Democracy does not promise perfection, but it is surely a system that gives room to adjustments, improvements and eternal vigilance from citizens and the media,” Arise said.
Arise acknowledged the hardship being experienced by Nigerians but said there were positive economic indices suggesting that the country was moving in the right direction, citing the declining inflation rate and growing confidence in the economy.
“Despite the hardship Nigerians are experiencing, there are positive indices showing that the economy is on a positive trajectory. Inflation is coming down and Nigeria is gradually regaining the confidence of the international community.
“President Bola Tinubu has fulfilled about 95 per cent of his campaign promises and deserves another four years term to consolidate on these achievements for the overall benefit of Nigerians”, he added
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The Chairman of the Ekiti State NUJ, Kayode Babatuyi, commended Arise for accepting the invitation to speak at the event, describing his tenure as a significant period in the development of legislative activities in the state.
He said Arise had continued to support media practitioners after leaving political office, noting that his contributions to journalism had extended beyond his tenure in the Senate.
Babatuyi called on governments at all levels and private organisations to improve journalists’ remuneration, welfare and access to working tools, stressing that adequate support was necessary for media practitioners to effectively discharge their responsibilities to society.
On his part, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Raphael Ogbonnaiye, said the event provided an avenue to examine issues affecting society and discuss possible solutions.
Ogbonnaiye also called for greater support for journalists, stressing that access to adequate resources and improved working conditions would enable media practitioners to discharge their responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to addressing societal challenges.
The Planter of the Christ Apostolic Church Adamimogo, Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, reaffirmed his support for journalists, describing the media as an indispensable partner in the development of society.
Olu-Alo, who is the Patron of the Chapel, said his association with the chapel had been anchored on his appreciation of the sacrifices journalists make in informing the public, holding leaders accountable and giving voice to issues affecting society.
The founder of Adamimogo FM, represented by Deji Ogunbusuyi, said he had consistently identified with the Correspondents’ Chapel and supported journalists in their professional and personal growth.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Yinka Oyebode, lauded members of the Correspondents’ Chapel for their support for the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in projecting the activities of the government positively to the public.
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Print), Odunayo Ogunmola, the governor’s spokesman reiterated the administration’s commitment to press freedom and the provision of an enabling environment for media practitioners to thrive in the state.
