By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

Youth leaders and civil society organisations have reiterated calls for drastic reforms in the nation’s electoral system as the next election cycle draws near.

This is just as they have urged the national assembly to prioritize transparent, merit-based process for appointing INEC leadership, conclusion of all pre-, election cases before election day and resolution of post-election cases before inauguration, an establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission.

The calls were made at the Town Hall Meeting on Youth -Led Electoral Reform, held at the Golden Tulip Resort, Yenagoa on Thursday, December 4, and organised by Fringe Voices, as the South-South partner of the YPP Electoral Reform.Consortium.

In her opening remarks,the Executive Director of Fringe Voices, Tare Maureen Amananaghan, said empowering young people with civic knowledge remains central to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic foundations, noting that democracy thrives when young citizens understand how institutions work and acquire the capacity to influence governance processes.

She pointed out that the quality of political awareness cultivated today determines the direction of our democracy tomorrow.

She said: “Our deliberations has to do with our future, has to do with us participating in the Electoral process and that has been a key thing for me. I was one Not too young to run Coordinator in Bayelsa State , and having seen young people, women been part of the electoral process is one thing I have always push and drive because I feel that if we are not on the table of decision making we will not have our voice been heard.

“As partners under the CFLI-supported YPP Electoral Reform Consortium, we remain committed to advancing a democratic process that reflects the aspirations of Nigeria’s young population. These reforms deserve passage, not delay. The future of electoral accountability and public trust depends on the decisions made at this moment.”

In his remarks, the YPP Bayelsa Ambassador, John Johnson, explained that many young people appear disengaged not because of apathy but due to limited understanding of political and legal processes. He advocated for simplified civic education tools, school-based sensitization programmes and community dialogues to demystify complex laws

In his presentation, Head of Research at Fringe Voices, Dr. Stanley Boroh, urged young people to deepen their civic and legal literacy, pointing out that law must serve as an instrument for positive social engineering.

Participants from National Youth Council Nigeria, NYCN, and other groups observed concern over the complex nature of Nigeria’s legal framework, noting that inadequate public understanding continues to weaken electoral credibility.

As action points, the participants called for coordinated social media campaigns, strategic advocacy visits to lawmakers, and the development of a comprehensive communiqué to guide the next phase of engagement on electoral reform.