Nigeria’s top political players including incumbent and former Vice President, Kashim Shettima and Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, former head of state, Abdulsalam Abubakar, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will next week meet in Abuja for a two-day conference to deliberate threats to Nigeria democracy.
Concerned by the electoral malpractices, ineffective political parties and weakened governance structures to pervasive corruption and erosion of public trust, the organisers disclosed that the conference is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
Briefing the media in Abuja, yesterday, the lead representative of the organisers, Otive Igbuzor, revealed that five collaborating organisations – African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) Westminster for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and National Peace Committee – are behind the event.
The two-day event with the theme: “Strengthening Nigeria’s democracy: Partway to good governance and political integrity” will also have former vice president of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, deliver a keynote address while Jibrin Ibrahim would speak on challenges, prospects and the 2027 elections.
The goal of the conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday next week, according to the organisers, is to reignite hope, rebuild trust and lay out a roadmap toward a strengthened democratic system that serves all Nigerians with integrity and accountability.
According to Igbuzor, “as conveners, we are committed to addressing the complexities and setbacks Nigeria’s democratic system currently faces, with the purpose of finding actionable solutions that can restore and strengthen our national governance.
“The very purpose of the conference lies in a vision for a democracy that is genuine, resilient, and inclusive.
“As many of us know, Nigeria’s democratic journey, though spanning 25 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, is beset by structural and functional flaws. These range from electoral malpractices, ineffective political parties, and weakened governance structures to pervasive corruption and a concerning erosion of public trust.
“Despite decades of democratic practice, the realities faced by Nigerians today often reflect disillusionment rather than hope.
“The goal of the conference, therefore, is to reignite hope, rebuild trust, and lay out a road map toward a strengthened democratic system that serves all Nigerians with integrity and accountability.
First, we recognize an urgent need for democratic reforms.
The Sun
