By Naomi Sharang
Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has called on Nigerians to actively participate in safeguarding the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja to commemorate this year’s International Democracy Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that International Day of Democracy is celebrated every Sept. 15 to promote and uphold the core principles of democracy around the world.
Nwadishi said Nigeria’s democratic resilience required active participation by citizens, accountability from political actors, neutrality by security agencies and institutional commitment from electoral authorities.
While urging eligible Nigerians to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs) and participate actively in elections, she stressed the need for them to move beyond complaining to shaping electoral outcomes.
The executive director also enjoined citizens to reject vote buying and selling, describing the practice as detrimental to effective representation, accountability and national development.
She stated that citizens should regard the protection of their votes at polling units as a civic and patriotic responsibility.
Nwadishi expressed concern over the spread of misinformation, deepfakes and ethnic and religious content capable of dividing Nigerians as the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum.
She urged citizens to verify information before sharing it online and reject content capable of promoting hatred, intolerance, violence or division.
The executive director also called on political parties and candidates to conduct campaigns with civility, respect and strict adherence to electoral guidelines.
She also said that political actors should focus their campaigns on issues affecting Nigerians rather than resorting to threats, intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric or violence.
On institutional integrity, Nwadishi urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demonstrate transparency and commitment toward conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
She specifically called for transparency in logistics management, adherence to electoral timelines and reliable deployment of voting technology to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
According to her, security and law enforcement agencies must remain politically neutral and protect voters, candidates and citizens equally during the electoral process.(NAN)
NNL/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq