Former senator and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has called on Nigerians—especially those in their 30s, 40s and 50s—to move beyond online political commentary and actively participate in the country’s political process.
In a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Sani criticised what he described as the growing habit of limiting political engagement to social media discussions while younger individuals occupy elective positions across the country.
According to him, many Nigerians in their middle years spend time debating national issues in comment sections on Facebook, X and Instagram, even as legislators in their 30s and local government officials in their 20s hold political offices.
Sani advised such citizens to disengage from endless online arguments and instead register with political parties, seek elective positions, and provide the kind of leadership they believe their communities deserve.
He also dismissed recent surveys suggesting that Nigerian youths are more active on social media than in formal politics, describing such narratives as unhelpful and misleading. He stressed that meaningful political participation must go beyond digital activism.
Addressing concerns about the high cost of politics, Sani encouraged aspiring politicians not to be discouraged by a lack of financial resources, noting that many of those currently in power did not have smooth or easy beginnings.
“Don’t be discouraged or scared because you don’t have money to join politics,” he wrote. “You need to hear the story of most of those you see in power today; it wasn’t an easy ride from the beginning. If they can be, so you can.”
Sani’s remarks add to ongoing conversations about political inclusion, citizen participation and the need for broader engagement in Nigeria’s democratic process beyond social media platforms.
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