The European Union has urged young Nigerians to demand transparent and accountable institutions, stressing that informed and active citizens are essential to consolidating Nigeria’s democracy.
Programme Manager for Democracy and Rule of Law at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Laolu Olawunmi, made the call at the closing Model Legislative Assembly Session of the 2026 Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) Legislative Internship Programme in Abuja.
The session marked the completion of a 10-week placement at the National Assembly, where interns gained practical exposure to lawmaking, representation, committee work, legislative research and oversight.
Addressing the graduating interns, Olawunmi said the programme had taken participants “from theory to practice inside the National Assembly”, providing first-hand experience of how bills are proposed, debated, amended, progressed or rejected.
“This internship is not about producing future politicians. It may well be about that, but it is not just about that. It is about forming citizens who understand governance and how to engage it,” she said.
She stressed that Nigeria’s democracy would only consolidate if informed and principled young Nigerians continued to insist on transparent and accountable institutions at every level.
“Democracy is not just about elections. It encompasses day-to-day lawmaking, oversight, citizens’ participation and the difficult work of building consensus in a diverse country like ours,” Olawunmi said.
She encouraged the interns to remain engaged with the National Assembly, follow legislative and constitutional reform processes, participate in public hearings, use petitions and evidence-based advocacy to demand accountability, and explain legislative processes in accessible language within their communities.
Olawunmi also urged them to share their knowledge and mentor other young Nigerians so that the impact of the programme could extend beyond the immediate cohort.
Reaffirming the EU’s support for Nigeria’s democratic development, she said the partnership with PLAC and the National Assembly reflected the importance of Nigeria’s democratic resilience to its citizens, the region and the wider world.
“The European Union is proud to support legislative internship programmes under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria initiative,” she said.
Olawunmi also recalled an earlier engagement between the interns and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, noting that the interaction provided an opportunity for dialogue on Nigeria’s democratic development.
Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, said the internship exposed participants to the realities of lawmaking, representation, oversight, legislative research and the day-to-day operations of the National Assembly.
He said the experience should equip participants to engage institutions and those in leadership more effectively while contributing meaningfully to national development.
Representing the National Assembly, an official speaking on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, congratulated the interns and commended PLAC for developing what he described as one of the country’s foremost platforms for preparing young Nigerians for legislative practice and democratic leadership.
The 2026 cohort was selected from more than 3,000 applicants nationwide and attached to committees and legislative offices at the National Assembly for the 10-week programme.
The programme concluded with a mock plenary during which interns demonstrated the skills acquired through their placements by presenting bills, debating proposed legislation, raising points of order and participating in simulated legislative deliberations.
