Dr. Festus Goziem Okubor has warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces mounting pressure from electoral distrust, insecurity and digital misinformation, calling for stronger institutions, neutral security agencies and greater accountability among politicians and media practitioners.
Making an address at the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) 2026 Annual Conference and Sixth Annual Lecture Series, Okubor said credible elections, public safety and responsible journalism were interconnected foundations of democratic stability.
Speaking on “Democracy Under Pressure: When the Ballot, the Bullet and the Phone Compete for Power,” he identified trust as democracy’s most precious currency, warning that failures in elections, security and journalism could undermine citizens’ confidence in public institutions.
“When elections lack credibility, public anger rises. When insecurity spreads, citizens become afraid. When journalism becomes careless, misinformation flourishes.
“And when misinformation flourishes, public trust collapses.”
Okubor, a former Commissioner for Information in Delta State and former National Publicity Secretary of the Grassroot Democratic Movement, said democracy should be measured not merely by the conduct of elections but by whether citizens could believe their outcomes, including when their preferred candidates lost.
He stressed that electoral integrity must begin with credible party primaries and extend through voting, collation, declaration of results and dispute resolution. While acknowledging the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing portal to strengthen transparency, he argued that technology could not substitute for ethical conduct.
“Technology cannot manufacture integrity. BVAS cannot cure desperation for power. IReV cannot upload character,” he said.
He urged politicians to accept legitimate electoral defeat and pursue grievances through lawful processes supported by credible evidence, rather than treating every loss as proof that democracy had failed.
On security, Okubor warned that intimidation and violence could deny citizens meaningful participation in elections, compromise electoral officials and prevent journalists from holding public officeholders accountable.
“A voter who cannot safely reach a polling unit is effectively disenfranchised. An intimidated electoral official cannot act independently. A threatened journalist cannot hold power accountable,” he said.
“Security agencies must protect democracy, not determine its beneficiaries.”
Turning to online publishing, he said the ease of distributing information through smartphones had increased the responsibility of publishers and citizens to verify material before sharing it.
“Technology has democratised communication. But it has not democratised truth,” he said.
Okubor maintained that possessing a smartphone or publishing content did not, on its own, amount to practising journalism. He identified verification, fairness, context, attribution, editorial judgement and correction as essential professional standards.
He urged journalists to verify allegations, seek responses from those accused of wrongdoing and clearly identify sponsored material, while cautioning against sensational headlines that distorted otherwise routine events.
“Journalism must not become creative alarm manufacturing,” he said.
He also drew attention to the risks associated with artificial intelligence, warning that fabricated voices, photographs and videos could be used to mislead voters and disrupt elections.
Although AI could support research, transcription, translation and investigative reporting, he said its misuse demanded stronger verification practices, media literacy and responsible conduct by digital platforms.
“Above all, Nigerians must acquire one extraordinary democratic habit: pause before forwarding,” he said.
Okubor challenged DOPF to champion professional standards for online publishers, particularly in fact-checking, corrections, disclosure of sponsored content and responsible AI use.
He also called for a healthier relationship between government and the media, saying public officials must answer legitimate questions while journalists must remain open to scrutiny of their own conduct.
“Politicians need scrutiny. Journalists need reliable information. Citizens need the truth. And none of these interests should become the enemy of the others,” he said. He urged political parties to operate on principles, governments to tolerate criticism and opposition parties to criticise responsibly.
Okubor said Nigeria needed stronger institutions, accountability, restraint and truth, with each participant in the democratic process recognising the consequences of their actions.
“Politicians must remember that power is temporary. Electoral officials must recognise that credibility is their greatest asset. Security agencies must protect without discrimination,” he said.
“Journalists must remember that speed is important, but accuracy is sacred. And citizens must understand that forwarding information is itself an exercise of power.”