Coalition of Civil Society Organisations have alleged that Nigeria’s democracy, once a beacon of hope on the African continent, faces an unprecedented crisis that threatened its survival and undermines its potential for growth and development”.
The alarm was raised on Tuesday by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), as well as National Peace Committee.
In a statement jointly signed by Otive Igbuzor, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, and
Ezenwa Nwagu, the groups made a case for meaningful engagements between government and relevant stakeholders, as part of measures to cure areas of defect in the governance process.
The organisations said: “Over the past 25 years, the country has maintained uninterrupted democratic governance, holding seven general elections.
“However, this continuity has not translated into the deepening of democratic values or institutions. Instead, systemic issues such as electoral malpractice, political party inefficiencies, weak governance structures, and endemic corruption have eroded public trust in the democratic process.
“In response to this pressing crisis, the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) and its partners initiated the Strengthening Nigerian Democracy Project.
“This nationwide campaign seeks to fortify democratic foundations, foster citizens engagement, and create pathways for credible and inclusive leadership.
“There is a growing threat to democracy as a system of government in Africa – between 2020-2023 there were 8 coup de ’tats just as a number of supposed democratic leaders made efforts to change their constitution to extend their tenure.
“In about 60 elections held across the globe including countries like South Africa, U.K., USA, Japan, India, Botswana and Senegal, 80% of the incumbents lost”.
They further claimed that: “The 2023 Open Society Barometer shockingly revealed that 30% of young people in Nigeria said army rule was good for citizens lending credence to the some disturbing experience in some neighbouring countries in ECOWAS.
“Past and recent events have proven that most African Politicians seek power for personal interest rather than the national good hence the current democratic experience.
“Gradually, state institutions have over time been weakened by the overbearing tendencies of those who occupy executive arm of government.
“There is a growing incident of state and elite capture in our political system with the tendency to slip into a one-party state
“There are concerns on the trend of electoral outcomes with respect to the role of the judiciary where the courts have become the decisive agent in selecting leaders rather than the ballots.
“In spite of the series of reforms put in place to sanitise the electoral system, there appears to be an insidious metamorphosis into the current practice of vote buying observed in the polity.
“The roles of political parties have over-time been eroded due to its capture by barons and warlords resulting in lack of internal democracy and discipline.
“There is an obvious dearth of opposition voices and silence in the civic space.
Centralization of our elections management system impacts negatively on the efficiency and effectiveness of INEC.”.
They gave the following as pathways: “INEC should undertake a review of its internal processes to incorporate ward-level collation of results and ensure strict adherence to the electoral guidelines as mandated.
“Electoral offenders should be prosecuted in accordance with the law, as this would serve as a strong deterrent to others. Holding offenders accountable is essential for ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.
“Security agencies should be professional in their conduct and maintain their independence and neutrality on electoral matters and focus on protecting citizens’ rights and upholding the rule of law,
“Political parties should not be seen as mere special-purpose-vehicle (SPV) for elections every four years, rather as viable, ongoing entities that remain actively engaged in political, social, and economic issues.
“Opposition Political parties must unite to form a strong, viable coalition that ensure checks and balances, promote accountability, and fosters healthy political discourse to protect the integrity of the democratic process”.
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