Democracy
By Naomi Sharang
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has called for a more inclusive, transparent and people-centred democracy as Nigeria marks 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
The call is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Executive Director of the organisation, Ms Faith Nwadishi.
Nwadishi said that while Nigeria had sustained democratic rule since 1999, the country must move beyond merely preserving democracy to ensuring that it delivers tangible benefits to citizens.
According to her, democracy should not only be measured by elections and peaceful political transitions, but also by the extent to which it guarantees justice, security, transparency, inclusion and improved living conditions for Nigerians.
The organisation acknowledged what it described as notable democratic gains recorded over the past 27 years, including sustained civilian rule, peaceful transfer of power, expanded civic participation and stronger electoral and accountability institutions.
However, CTA expressed concern over the growing socio-economic challenges confronting citizens.
The group cited rising poverty, unemployment, insecurity, poor healthcare, weak infrastructure and the increasing cost of living as indicators that many Nigerians were yet to fully experience the dividends of democracy.
The organisation also commended progress made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011, especially the recent Supreme Court ruling affirming that the law applies to all levels of government.
It, however, noted that many public institutions still fail to comply with FOI requests and urged government agencies to embrace proactive disclosure of public information.
On electoral reforms, CTA acknowledged improvements in voter registration processes and the deployment of election technology.
The organisation, however, warned that vote buying, electoral violence, weak internal party democracy and poor prosecution of electoral offenders continued to undermine public confidence in the electoral system.
CTA further called for stronger inclusion of women, youths, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups in governance and political participation.
Addressing the security situation in the country, the organisation described insecurity as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
It urged government at all levels to strengthen intelligence-led security operations while ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The advocacy group also demanded greater transparency and accountability in the management of revenues from Nigeria’s oil, gas and mining sectors to ensure that host communities benefit from the nation’s natural resources.
CTA urged governments at all levels, political parties, public institutions, civil society organisations, the media and citizens to work collectively toward deepening democratic accountability and ensuring that governance truly serves the people.
“Nigeria’s democracy has survived 27 years, but survival is not enough. The next phase must be about delivery, justice, inclusion, transparency and security,” the statement added. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
NNL/TAK
Edited by Tosin Kolade
