In commemoration of this year’s International Day of Democracy, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) yesterday urged government to rededicate itself to strengthening democratic institutions, safeguarding civic space, protecting free expression and ensuring the free flow of information

MRA’s Programme Officer, John Gbadamosi, said: “As we mark this year’s International Democracy Day, we wish to remind our leaders at all levels of government that democracy is more than elections; it is about creating an open society where transparency and accountability, equal participation, and human rights are guaranteed.”

To him, “Democracy thrives when all citizens, women and men alike, are able to participate equally in shaping their societies. Unfortunately, Nigerian women continue to face disproportionate barriers in politics, governance, and the media, among other sectors. Structural inequalities, gender-based violence, online harassment, and under-representation in decision-making processes undermine both women’s rights and the quality of Nigeria’s democracy. Achieving gender equality, step by step and action by action, is central to building the open, just, and accountable Nigeria we all desire.”

Saying democracy cannot thrive where citizens lack access to information, he added corruption has become one of the biggest betrayals of Nigeria’s democracy, noting, “although every new government has vowed to fight corruption, public resources continue to disappear, enriching a few while leaving millions in poverty, with the result that instead of democracy delivering prosperity, corruption has deepened inequality and eroded people’s trust in democracy.”