Day Three of National Assembly Open Week 2026 featured a Youth Dialogue on democratic participation and electoral integrity, advancing the House of Representatives’ commitment to youth inclusion, civic participation and democratic reform. The session culminated in a panel discussion themed “2027 Elections – Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Truth.”
Opening the programme, Rep. Esin Martins Etim, Chairman of the House Committee on Youth Development, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of sustained youth engagement in governance.
Goodwill messages from Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development; Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI; and Titi Gbadamosi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Monitoring of Youth Initiatives, reaffirmed government support for youth development and participation.
Contributions by Ambassador Kenneth Anetor, Founder of A New Thing International Foundation; Captain Ademola Odejimi; Olaniyan Sanusi, representing YIAGA Africa; and a representative of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) encouraged young Nigerians to embrace leadership, innovation, civic participation and nation-building.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, the House Majority Leader, Rt. Hon. Professor Julius Ihonvbere, CON, reaffirmed the House’s commitment to creating institutional platforms that empower young Nigerians to shape public policy, strengthen democratic participation and drive national development before officially declaring the dialogue open.
Moderated by Uju Nwachukwu, the panel discussion featured Rep. Ibrahim Mohammed, the youngest Member of the 10th Assembly; Hon. Muhammed Adamu Oyanki, the youngest Deputy Speaker in Nigeria, Nasarawa State House of Assembly; Solape Sonuga, Director of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI); and Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, representing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The discussion examined electoral participation, voter responsibility, misinformation and youth leadership, emphasising the role of young Nigerians in safeguarding electoral integrity and strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The programme also provided opportunities for youth networking and featured an INEC Continuous Voter Registration Desk, enabling participants to register or update their voter records while encouraging active electoral participation. It attracted robust participation from youth and student groups across the country, including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), students from tertiary institutions, and other youth organisations.
The event also attracted several Members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Adebayo Balogun (APC, Lagos), Rep. Muktar Tolani Shagaya (APC, Kwara), Rep. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai (ADC, Kaduna), and Rep. Pascal Agbodike (APGA, Anambra), alongside APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, reflecting broad legislative and political support for youth engagement initiatives.
Closing the event, Rep. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, Chairman of the House Committee on Youth in Parliament, urged participants to translate the conversations into sustained civic engagement and democratic action.
The Youth Town Hall reinforced the House of Representatives’ commitment to giving young Nigerians a meaningful voice in legislative engagement, democratic governance and national development through sustained dialogue and partnership.
