Segun Showunmi, convener of the Alternative Movement, has criticised Nigerians for reducing democratic participation to “skit making.”
He said democracy without active citizen involvement allows politicians to manipulate the system.
The PDP chieftain spoke on Friday, the 27th of February, 2026, while hosting members of the Action Alliance and the Labour Party at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Showunmi highlighted that voter cards of non-participating citizens are often exploited by politicians to rig and inflate election results.
He said, “The first is that, what is the point of a democracy that you all are not participating in? Nigerians, you have reduced this democracy to skits. Instead of joining political parties, you will not join.
They will ask you to go and collect PVCs; yes, you may reluctantly collect them because you are using them as a means of identification.
“Up until now, I’m told that we have done over 90 million PVCs in Nigeria. I don’t know if we have sorted out those who died and those who are alive, but I believe that the number of younger people coming into the space is more than our death rates.
“Unfortunately, more than any other country in the world, Nigeria is one of the nations where conversations on development, government, politics, and political players are the highest and the noisiest in terms of disapproval. You would naturally expect that a population that speaks about these issues in their homes, beer parlours, schools, television, radio, and everywhere would know that participation is the only thing that makes sense.”
He called on citizens to raise awareness within their families, warning that apathy is a serious national challenge.
“This is now beyond polling units. We need to get back to our families and speak some sense into our citizens that it is the greatest level of irresponsibility for us as Nigerians to complain a lot and yet not come out or join parties.
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“We have created a major democratic challenge for our country. How do we even navigate 2027 in such a way that we will not disgrace ourselves in the midst of the committee of nations? Because it is not realistic to say that you practise democracy and the ruling party will be the only one on the ballot.”
Showunmi also urged politicians, especially those from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to stop blaming the Electoral Act for their setbacks. He said, “We did not sign an Electoral Act so that it can fit the thinking of serial contestants,” noting that the law applies to all, including future contestants.
He advised parties to prioritise grassroots engagement and strengthen their internal structures rather than focus on the electoral system.
Recall that Action Alliance State Chairman Prof. Tunde Adebola pledged the party’s support for Showunmi’s governorship ambition in the upcoming election.