My fellow Nigerians, distinguished citizens, today I speak not in anger but in hope. Hope that our democracy — though battered and bruised — can still rise again.
Recently, across the ocean, a young man named Zohran Mamdani achieved what many considered impossible. Born of African roots, raised in the heart of New York City, he won a seat in the State Assembly not through wealth or influence, but through conviction, service, and the power of ordinary people.
His victory was not just political; it was moral. It reminded the world that when citizens organize, when they believe in their collective power, they can transform even the most entrenched systems.
Here in Nigeria, our democracy faces great trials. Elections that should be moments of unity too often become sources of tension and doubt. We have witnessed the chaos of late materials, broken promises, and manipulated results. Many of our citizens have lost faith — not because they do not believe in democracy, but because they no longer believe that democracy believes in them.
But we must remember this: the failure of a process does not mean the death of a principle. What Mamdani’s story teaches us is that the people themselves — when organized, when resolute — can rebuild what the system has broken.
Mamdani’s campaign in Queens was rooted in the simplest idea: that politics must serve the people. He walked the streets, listened to his neighbors, and placed their struggles at the center of his politics. He built trust before he sought power.
That is the example Nigeria must follow.
Our democracy must return to the people. Our elections must once again be about ideas, not identities; about service, not self-interest.
Let us learn from Mamdani that leadership is not granted from above — it is earned from below.
We, too, can nurture movements that begin in communities, in local councils, in youth organizations, and civic groups. We can train observers, defend ballots, and build digital platforms that promote transparency. We can turn our frustration into organized participation.
My compatriots, democracy does not fail because the people are weak. It fails because those who believe in it remain silent while others distort it.
But today, we cannot afford silence.
Each of us must become a guardian of the public will — in our neighborhoods, our universities, our villages, our cities.
The strength of a nation is not measured by the power of its politicians, but by the courage of its citizens.
Zohran Mamdani’s victory is not America’s story alone; it is a universal lesson. It reminds us that democracy, no matter where it lives, depends on the people who are willing to defend it.
Let us, therefore, renew our faith — not in parties or personalities, but in the power of collective action and moral leadership.
Let us build a Nigeria where elections are peaceful, transparent, and credible — not as a dream, but as a duty.
The world is watching. History is waiting.
And the responsibility of our generation is clear: to ensure that Nigeria’s democracy is not a story of what could have been, but a testament to what we, the people, chose to make it.
Thank you, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Igbotako Nowinta
Executive – Director,
Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre ( NGGRC)