An interrogation of democratic governance and youth participation in Nigeria from an elite theory perspective

Abstract: There is a growing interest in the participatory governance in Africa, particularly the role of youth in the sustainability of democratic system of governance. The strength of democracy draws from popular consent and participation. Hence, the absence of citizens’ participation in its processes threatens its legitimacy and consolidation. The democratic system is popular due to its principles of fairness, equity, inclusiveness, negotiation, and rule of law. Thus, the restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria in 1999 rekindled the hopes and aspirations of its citizens for good governance after over 30 years of military rule. Since the return of the democratic governance, young people show apathy to democratic processes because they believe they have been tactically alienated from seeking the elective position due to the material requirements of contesting elections. Thus, this paper explores the effects of poor participation of youths in the democratic process in Nigeria and recommends ways through which young people can be effectively engaged for sustainable democratic system. The paper concludes that collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in democracy are necessary towards ensuring active youth participation in the democratic governance