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The President of the African Youth Movement (AYM), Nigeria Chapter, Ambassador Abraham Micah Gujahar, has commended the organisers of the National Electoral Reforms Summit 2025 for convening what he described as a “highly commendable and visionary platform” aimed at driving credible electoral processes and democratic governance in Nigeria.

Speaking recently during an exclusive interview at the Summit organised by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) in Abuja, Amb. Gujahar lauded the conveners for their resilience and patriotism, noting that gathering credible and capable voices to discuss the nation’s political and electoral future was not an easy task.

“I would first want to applaud the efforts of the organisers of the programme because I know and understand from what I see that it’s not easy to muzzle out such men of capacity to come for such a programme,” he said. “I really want to commend their doggedness for believing in a new Nigeria that we all yearn for, and we know that it’s not easy achieving this. So, to me, the programme is an applaudable one. I would love to have more of such programmes in time to come.”

The young leader, who has been vocal about youth participation and leadership transformation across Africa, stressed that the nation must move beyond mere discussions and conferences on electoral reforms to taking concrete, measurable actions that address the systemic flaws in the political system.

“Of a truth, speaking about reforms, we’ve been having series of summits, conferences and talks about reforms, and little or nothing has been done about it,” Amb. Gujahar lamented. “It’s either you are part of the government or you are agitating for a change. To me, what we should be centering our focus on is not merely about reforms. We should be talking about the core means of curbing election stealing and other vices that tend to affect us in the country.”

He emphasised that without addressing the roots of electoral malpractice and political corruption, no amount of reform dialogue would bring about the desired transformation. Gujahar called for sincerity of purpose among citizens, government institutions, the legislature, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging them to demonstrate genuine commitment to fair and credible elections ahead of 2027.

Turning his attention to the broader African context, Amb. Gujahar spoke passionately about the need for continuous youth sensitisation, unity, and civic education as fundamental tools for political participation and leadership transformation on the continent.

“Sensitisation, I believe, is key because without knowledge we are nothing,” he said. “We must first have the knowledge to be able to sensitise ourselves, organise and then encourage the young people to stand firm to defend that which they believe in. Because without knowledge we can’t have a headway in Africa, and the youth need to be harmonised more than ever before.”

He expressed concern over the silence of many young Africans in the face of social and political ills, noting that even those who speak up often find themselves stifled by the establishment. Nonetheless, he maintained that the quest for a better Africa remains non-negotiable.

“There are so many ills going on in the continent at the moment that nobody is talking about. The few who are talking, you see them drawn by the side of the governments. The governments are doing their best in whatever possible way they can, but all what we want is a better Nigeria for everybody,” he concluded.

Amb. Gujahar’s remarks echoed the dominant theme of the National Electoral Reforms Summit — “Critical Constitutional Amendments for Credible Elections in 2027” — as youth leaders, civil society organisations, electoral experts, and policymakers continue to deliberate on sustainable reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.

The African Youth Movement (AYM), a continental organisation championing youth empowerment, leadership inclusion, and good governance, has been at the forefront of advocacy for political accountability and youth-driven reform initiatives across Africa.

As the nation prepares for another electoral cycle, voices like Gujahar’s are reinforcing the call for a generational shift anchored on integrity, informed participation, and national rebirth.

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