Akume spoke on Thursday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja during a lecture organised as part of activities commemorating the 2026 Democracy Day celebration.
Delivering a presentation titled, “27 Years of Democratic Governance: Achievements, Challenges and the Road Ahead,” the SGF acknowledged the progress Nigeria has made since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
However, he stressed that doubts surrounding the credibility of elections remain a major challenge to the country’s democratic development.
According to him, recurring allegations of corruption within the electoral process continue to cast doubt on the integrity of elections and democratic institutions.
“Electoral integrity remains a work in progress. While our electoral management body and the judiciary have demonstrated growing independence, persistent allegations of corruption in the electoral system and processes remain critical to its integrity.
“Democracy is not merely the act of voting; it is the guarantee that every vote counts equally,” Akume said.
The SGF urged Nigerians to remain committed to safeguarding democratic values by supporting institutions that strengthen governance and accountability.
Reviewing the nation’s democratic experience over the last 27 years, Akume described the period as one of steady progress despite several obstacles.
He pointed to the successful conduct of eight consecutive general elections and the peaceful transfer of power between administrations as evidence of democratic growth.
“The democratic journey since 1999 has nevertheless had its challenges. The significant lesson however is that it has been a journey of resilience and determination.
Nigeria has conducted eight successive general elections each one testing, and ultimately affirming, the democratic will of our people.
“We have achieved back-to-back peaceful transfer of power from one civilian administration to another, across party lines, and across the diverse regions of our great nation.
We have also experienced a transfer from a sitting government to the opposition,” he said.
Despite these milestones, Akume maintained that unresolved issues capable of undermining public trust in the democratic process must be addressed.
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“While acknowledging the gains of democratic governance, Nigeria must confront lingering challenges threatening the credibility of its democratic process,” he said.
He further warned against allowing ethnic, religious and regional differences to undermine national unity and democratic stability.
“Finally let me leave us all with a charge. Nigeria is worth all our sacrifices and our democracy is worth defending.
“The present and upcoming generations are standing on the shoulders of those who struggled for civil rule and they have both the responsibility and the opportunity to build the nation our founding fathers envisioned and which our children deserve to inherit,” he added.
Highlighting some of the achievements recorded under democratic governance, Akume cited economic growth, broader financial inclusion and ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
He also referenced reforms in the power sector and improvements in access to healthcare and education through programmes such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Universal Basic Education programme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Akume described the Democracy Day lecture as a platform for evaluating the nation’s democratic progress and encouraged citizens to reflect on the future direction of governance over the next 27 years.
Concerns over electoral malpractice, vote-buying, result manipulation and other forms of corruption have continued to fuel public debate about the credibility of elections in Nigeria.
Calls for electoral reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and confidence in the electoral process have also remained prominent among stakeholders.