ROAD TO UNGA 81: The Lagos Declaration on Performance Democracy Goes Global A Call for Global Partners, Sponsors and Co-Hosts
ROAD TO UNGA 81:
The Lagos Declaration on Performance Democracy Goes Global
The Magna Carta (1215) reshaped the foundations of constitutional governance.
The Atlantic Charter (1941) helped redefine the principles of international cooperation.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) affirmed the inherent dignity and fundamental rights of every human being.
The Earth Charter (2000) challenged humanity to embrace a more sustainable and just future.
On 5 August 2026, at the National Citizen Conversation held to commemorate my 60th birthday and the public presentation of Global Leadership Code, another important conversation began with the unveiling of the Lagos Declaration on Performance Democracy.
The Declaration advances a simple but profound proposition:
> Democracy should not merely produce elected governments; it should consistently produce measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
For decades, elections across many developing democracies have become increasingly monetised. The enormous financial burden associated with electoral contests has progressively shifted attention from governance to campaigns, from public service to political survival, and from development to competition for political power.
Recent political experiences in Nigeria demonstrate why this conversation has become urgent.
Osun State electoral contest, for instance, an allegation attributed to Chief Deji Adeleke that Gboyega Oyetola spent as much as ₦60 billion another made by his son Davido Adeleke put the figure of APC’s logistics expenses on election-day at 110 billion. The contradiction is less an issue. Those allegations raises a fundamental question about the financial architecture of Nigerian elections—and, by implication, the enormous resources that may be deployed by competing political actors.
Where elections become excessively expensive, incumbency itself can become an electoral advantage. Public institutions, state resources and governmental influence can become entangled in electoral competition, potentially weakening public confidence in democratic institutions and diverting attention from development.
Recent developments surrounding the reported freezing of the Osun State Government account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), an agency of the Federal Government, have further intensified public debate about institutional independence, political contestation and the relationship between governance and electoral politics.
While lawful intervention by constitutional and statutory institutions remains essential to the rule of law, such episodes also expose structural weaknesses that demand deeper reflection on how our democracy functions.
The answer is not less democracy.
The answer is better democracy.
That is the essence of Performance Democracy.
Performance Democracy proposes that democratic governance should increasingly be evaluated through measurable public outcomes, transparent accountability, citizen satisfaction, institutional integrity, responsible leadership and sustainable development—not merely through electoral victory or the financial strength of political campaigns.
The objective is not to diminish electoral competition.
It is to strengthen democratic legitimacy by ensuring that governments earn and retain public confidence through performance.
THE ROAD TO UNGA 81
As the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) convenes in September 2026, we believe the time has come to elevate this conversation from a national discussion into a global governance agenda.
Accordingly, preparations have commenced for a proposed United Nations General Assembly Side Event under the theme:
DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA: THE PERFORMANCE CAMPAIGN OPTION
The proposed Side Event will bring together political leaders, diplomats, former Heads of State, parliamentarians, development institutions, academics, faith leaders, civil society organisations, youth representatives, private-sector leaders and international media to examine practical pathways for strengthening democratic productivity across Africa and other emerging democracies.
The central question is straightforward:
> How do we move democracy beyond the periodic contest for political power to a system in which political leadership is continuously judged by the quality of life it produces for citizens?
ROADMAP TO UNGA 81
5 August 2026
Launch of the Lagos Declaration on Performance Democracy.
6–31 August 2026
Global consultation and endorsement campaign involving African leaders, governance experts, universities, faith communities, civil society organisations, think tanks and development institutions.
Early September 2026
Publication of the White Paper:
Developing Democracy in Africa: The Performance Campaign Option
20–28 September 2026
Engagements and the proposed UNGA Side Event in New York alongside the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly.
NIGERIAN HOUSE, NEW YORK — 25 SEPTEMBER 2026
A special engagement is being planned for Friday, 25 September 2026, at the Nigerian House in New York, as part of the Road to UNGA 81 programme.
For Further details on participation, programme and accreditation call the Coordinating Secretary|Moderatot
Lydia Enyidiya Eke
+234 803 497 3455
CALL FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
We hereby invite the following to join this historic conversation:
Governments and diplomatic missions;
International development organisations;
Corporate organisations;
Philanthropic foundations;
Universities and research institutions;
Faith-based organisations;
Civil society organisations;
Professional associations;
Media organisations;
Youth and women’s networks; and
Nigerians and Africans in the Diaspora.
We invite them to become strategic partners, sponsors, co-hosts and institutional supporters of the Performance Democracy initiative.
Partnership opportunities include:
Sponsorship and financial support;
Institutional collaboration;
Technical assistance;
Research and policy development;
Publications;
Media partnerships;
Event hosting;
Logistics and production;
Advocacy;
Diplomatic engagement; and
Stakeholder mobilisation.
THE 100-DAY ROADMAP
The initiative will be guided by a structured implementation framework covering:
UNGA Side Event Strategy;
Diplomatic and Government Engagement;
International Partnership Development;
Media and Global Communications;
Funding and Sponsorship Mobilisation;
Research and Publications;
Stakeholder Engagement Matrix;
Citizen Participation Campaign;
Global Endorsement and Advocacy; and
Post-UNGA Global Action Framework.
The goal is not merely to convene another conference.
The goal is to build a movement of ideas, institutions and citizens capable of influencing the future of democratic governance.
AN INVITATION TO BUILD THE FUTURE
Performance Democracy is not a partisan project.
It is not an African project alone.
It is a global proposition for restoring public confidence in democratic governance by ensuring that leadership is measured not merely by electoral victory, but by measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
The Lagos Declaration therefore invites the world to consider a new democratic equation:
> Electoral legitimacy + accountable leadership + measurable performance = sustainable democratic confidence.
The journey from Lagos to New York has begun.
The conversation that started on 5 August 2026 now seeks a global audience.
We invite governments, institutions, corporations, foundations, development partners, universities, civil society organisations, media organisations and citizens of goodwill to join us in shaping what could become one of the most consequential governance conversations of our generation.
Democracy must not only count votes.
Democracy must count results.
Democracy must deliver.
Citizen Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi
Apostle | Nation Builder
Convener, National Citizen Conversation
Author, Global Leadership Code.
For sponsorship, partnership and endorsements:
Interested organisations and individuals are invited to contact any of our collaborating Organisations:
Project Victory Call Initiative
Paula Bellgam
President
+234 816 997 7512
Apostolic Round Table
Mandy Nwachukwu
Director of Organisation
+234 803 380 2449
Citizen Advancement and Development Initiatives
Exodus Ishaku
Executive Director
+234 706 507 5831
Masterbuilder Communications Shiloh Akinyemi-Otoibhi
Executive Director
+234 817 266 2588
Together, let us move democracy from the politics of elections to the power of performance.
