The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fulfill the long-standing promises of democracy by delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by Robert Egbe, Media and Communication Officer at CAPPA, the group marked the 32nd anniversary of the historic June 12, 1993 elections and 26 years of uninterrupted civilian rule in Nigeria by highlighting the persistent hardship faced by millions across the country.
“Democracy should not merely revolve around elections held every four years. It should bring meaningful change—improving lives, upholding rights, and restoring hope,” the statement read.
CAPPA lamented the widespread lack of access to essential services such as clean water, housing, healthcare, education, and electricity, warning that government privatization efforts have further pushed these basic needs out of reach for ordinary citizens.
“In 2024, nearly 130 million Nigerians were living in poverty, with projections indicating that an additional 13 million could fall below the poverty line. This is unacceptable in a nation so rich in human and natural resources,” the organization said.
The group also raised concerns about the independence of critical institutions like the judiciary, legislature, and anti-corruption agencies, which it said are increasingly compromised by political interference.
CAPPA strongly condemned recent moves by some state governments to restrict peaceful protests and suppress free speech through judicial means.
“Peaceful protest and free expression are cornerstones of any true democracy. No citizen should be criminalized for speaking out,” the statement emphasized.
The organization also demanded the immediate dismissal of what it described as “trumped-up terrorism charges” against young Nigerians who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, CAPPA stressed the urgency of addressing flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system. It called on the National Assembly to complete constitutional and electoral reforms by 2025 to prevent rushed amendments that could undermine the process.
One of CAPPA’s key recommendations is for lawmakers to remove the President’s power to appoint electoral commissioners, in order to strengthen the independence and credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
With the tenure of the current INEC Chairman set to expire in November 2025, CAPPA said this transition presents a critical opportunity to appoint a new head through an open, transparent, and merit-based process.
“Failure to take decisive action now could lead to yet another flawed election,” the group warned.
Furthermore, CAPPA called for measures to ensure that all eligible Nigerians, including those in the diaspora, can vote without obstruction. It also demanded clearer regulations on the electronic transmission of election results to promote transparency.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly must create conditions that allow every eligible voter—at home and abroad—to participate in elections without logistical or systemic barriers. The ambiguity surrounding result transmission in the current Electoral Act must be resolved, and real-time electronic transmission of results guaranteed to rebuild trust in our democratic process,” the statement concluded.
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