DEMOCRATIC

Youth participation in politics remains pivotal in the sustenance of a nation’s democracy. Participation does not only ensure that government performs its duties, but also guarantees the rights of ordinary people to participate in their community development. Activities such as voting in an election, sponsoring a candidate, petitioning or participating in a protest are forms of political participation that influence public policy directly or indirectly through affecting the selection process of those who govern the people. The study attempted to examine the impacts of the youths on democratic process in Edo State: A case study of 2023 general elections. The study interrogated the following research questions: What was the level of the youths’ turnout during the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the different ways the youths participated in the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the youths’ patterns of voting in 2023 general elections in Edo State? Did the youths indulge in electoral violence in the 2023 general election in Edo State? In what ways can youth political participation and democratic process in Edo State and Nigeria be improved? Theoretically, the study utilized the system theory to explain youth political participation and democratic process in Edo State during the 2023 general election. Methodologically, the study surveyed 392 respondents in Oredo Local Government Area through a structured questionnaire. The study made the following key findings. The first finding was that there was massive youths’ turnout during the general election in Edo State. The second finding was that the youths participated in the elections by joining the INEC team as ad hoc staff, sensitizing the people on how to locate their voting centers and ways to vote in the election and campaigning for their preferred candidates. The third finding shows the patterns for which the youths voted during the 2023 general elections in Edo State. In that order, the pattern were voting to safeguard the future of Edo State and Nigeria’s democracy as well as foster national development, voting based on religion, personality of the candidates, ethnicity and political party. The last finding shows that the youths were also involved in various forms of electoral violence such as voter inducement, ballot box snatching and thuggery. The study therefore recommends that the government should create an enabling environment that can stimulate youths’ participation in the Nigeria’s democratic process, implement the various policies such as ‘Not Too Yong Run’ should be speedily implemented, need for proper sensitization of the Nigerian youths on the need to participate in politics and criminal elements are not good for the growth and development of any country.

This study investigates the role of the military in Nigeria’s democratic consolidation during the Fourth Republic (1999–2024), focusing on three key dimensions: internal security and stability maintenance, support for democratic transitions, and the reinforcement of civil-military relations. Despite over two decades of uninterrupted civilian rule, Nigeria’s democracy continues to face challenges from insecurity, weak institutions, and residual authoritarian influences, making the military a pivotal actor in democratic sustenance. Guided by a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from 400 respondents, including military personnel, civil servants, political scientists, and civilians across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square tests to examine the relationships between military roles and democratic consolidation. The findings reveal that the military’s engagement in internal security, its support for peaceful democratic transitions, and improved civil-military relations all have significant positive effects on democratic consolidation. The study concludes that a professional, constitutionally guided, and democratically accountable military is crucial to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy. Recommendations include strengthening civilian oversight, integrating democratic values into military training, and fostering inter-agency cooperation to maintain stability without undermining democratic norms