As Nigeria marks 32 years since the watershed June 12, 1993 election and celebrates 26 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has issued a scathing assessment of the country's democratic journey.
The group is calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to urgently deliver the long-promised dividends of democracy amid deepening hardship and rising disillusionment among citizens.
In a statement released on Wednesday, CAPPA decried the nation's state, highlighting that despite repeated electoral cycles since the return to civilian rule in 1999, Nigerians remain trapped impoverished, insecurity, and ineffective governance.
“Democracy has not translated into real progress that lifts citizens out of destitution, enshrines their rights, or sparks hope.
“Instead, public institutions have fumbled the stewardship of collective resources, leaving basic services in tatters and widening the trust gap between government and the governed.”
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, lamented that nearly 130 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line, with an estimated 13 million more at risk of falling into poverty due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“This is an outrageous paradox for a country blessed with vast natural resources, fertile land, and talented human capital,” he said.
The group warned that the country’s democratic institutions are under siege, with key agencies such as the anti-corruption bodies, the legislature, and the judiciary operating under the shadow of political interference.
It said this subversion, often enabled by behind-the-scenes appointments and undue influence, has eroded public confidence in democratic governance.
CAPPA also raised alarm over the increasing clampdown on civil liberties, including using court orders by some state governments to stifle dissent and limit protests to designated areas.
Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory were identified as recent examples of this practice, which the group described as “unsettling and undemocratic.”
“This growing trend is an aberration,” CAPPA said. “Activists, journalists, students, unionists, and ordinary citizens must be allowed to express themselves freely and peacefully.
“Any violence against them for exercising their constitutional rights is a direct assault on democracy,” the group added.
The organisation demanded the withdrawal of what it termed “trumped-up terrorism charges” against young Nigerians arrested during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
It also called for the restoration of civic spaces for engagement and the protection of the right to assemble, protest, and hold government accountable.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, CAPPA emphasised the need for urgent and far-reaching electoral reforms.
It welcomed proposals currently before the National Assembly seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, describing them as “vital opportunities” to prevent partisan interference and restore public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In particular, the group supported calls for INEC’s autonomy to be strengthened, including the removal of the President’s power to appoint electoral commissioners.
CAPPA said this safeguard is necessary to ensure that elections are not manipulated from the outset.
“The approaching end of the current INEC leadership’s tenure in November 2025 presents a chance to chart a new course through a transparent, merit-based appointment process.
“Failure to act risks rigging future electoral cycles from the start,” it said.
CAPPA urged the National Assembly to expedite its electoral and constitutional reform processes within 2025 to prevent a last-minute rush ahead of the next elections.
The group also called on lawmakers to ensure that the final reforms embed transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.
The statement concluded with a call for President Tinubu and the legislature to guarantee electoral conditions that allow all eligible Nigerians, home and abroad, to vote without hindrance.
It also demanded clarity in the legal framework for election result transmission, insisting that electronic transmission of results in real time must be upheld to enhance transparency and public trust.
“Democracy is not a periodic event but a daily experience, the right to speak, assemble, and hold leaders accountable. Nigeria’s democracy must begin to deliver on its promises,” CAPPA declared.
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