Civil Society warns poverty and distrust imperil Nigeria’s democratic future

 

 

Civil society warns poverty and distrust imperil Nigeria’s democratic future

 

 

Civil society organisations have warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces a perilous future unless urgent reforms are undertaken to address deepening poverty, shrinking civic space and the erosion of public trust in electoral institutions.

 

At a national press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), with support from the MacArthur Foundation, presented findings from their Civic Space, Poverty and Election Project.

 

The Director of Programmes at WRAPA, Yemisi Nathaniel, and Centre LSD’s Director of Strategy, Ita Otabor, cautioned that the nation’s democratic progress is being steadily undermined by hostile regulations targeting civic actors, worsening socio-economic conditions, and lingering doubts over the independence of the electoral commission.

 

“The civic space is the heartbeat of democracy. When it is under siege, freedoms shrink and the foundations of participatory governance are painfully eroded,” Nathaniel said, highlighting growing restrictions on journalists, activists and civil society groups.

 

The organisations also drew attention to Nigeria’s stark poverty levels, with more than 133 million people living in multidimensional poverty. They argued that such deprivation continues to be exploited during elections through inducements and vote-buying.

 

On electoral credibility, the groups insisted on reforms to the process of appointing the chairman and commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying public confidence cannot be restored unless the process is transparent and insulated from political influence.

 

They disclosed that two policy briefs and a memorandum for constitutional alteration have been developed and presented to stakeholders. The next phase, they said, would focus on civic campaigns, coalition-building, and engagement with policymakers, including the National Assembly, judiciary, security agencies and INEC itself.

 

“The CISPEN Project has demonstrated that democracy cannot thrive in Nigeria without civic freedoms, citizens empowered beyond poverty, and credible electoral institutions,” the organisations concluded.