Nigeria’s democracy at risk over electoral, judicial distrust, lawyers, civil society warn

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Legal practitioners and civil society leaders have warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces serious threats unless urgent reforms are made to address growing public distrust in the country’s electoral system and judiciary.
The warning was issued at the 2026 St. Thomas More Public Lecture, organised by the National Association of Catholic Lawyers, Abuja Chapter, themed, “Electoral Democracy in Nigeria and the 2026 Electoral Act.”
The association’s president, Dr. Obinna Ogbuagu, said lawyers could no longer remain silent in the face of challenges threatening justice and democratic governance, insisting the legal profession must continue to serve as the moral comp...