The British Department for International Development (DFID) has joined hands with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in Kaduna State to find ways in which the democracy in Nigeria can be strengthened.
According to a spokesperson for the CSOs, the DFID was willing to discuss about the issue with CSOs.
“DFID invited us for the meeting to discuss Nigeria’s electoral system, democracy problems and make recommendations on how to strengthen the project,” Bonet Emmanuel, a spokesperson for the CSOs said. “We agreed to work together to further deepen good governance at all levels in the country.’
Mr Emmanuel, made this known at the end of the group’s engagement with DFID representatives in Kaduna. He said the forum was designed to examine the country’s democracy and evolve solutions to flaws in the project and that participants identified failed expectations from the political class by the electorate, shoddy electoral arrangements, inadequate information and poor public enlightenment as some of the causes of the April election violence.
Besides, media and security manipulations, poverty, ignorance, weak judiciary and lack of advocacy capacity and skills by CSOs also contributed to the mayhem that greeted the election, Mr Emmanuel said.
He also said the participants suggested that politicians must play the game according to its rules while INEC should remain an unbiased umpire.
He stressed the need for mass enlightenment, community-based media and capacity building for the CSOs to enable them discharge their social obligations diligently.
As a way forward, the group also advised elected and appointed public officers to deliver democracy dividends, conduct themselves decently and patriotically, Mr Emmanuel added.
