Revisit Uwais report, implement long-term electoral reforms, CSOs tell FG

A coalition of civil societies has called on the Federal Government to urgently revisit the Uwais Report as well as implement long-term electoral reforms for inclusivity and active participation in the democratic process.

They also said that they will continue to intensify advocacy for electoral reforms and ensure that the judiciary upholds impartiality in electoral disputes, adding, “We will not relent in our duty to hold the executive to account for good governance.”

Addressing the media in Abuja, the spokesperson, Ezenwa Nwagwu of Advocacy Lead, Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria Project, explained that these systemic failures have left our citizens disillusioned and fueled sentiments, making them question the viability of the democratic system itself.

Nwagwu declared: “The recent Open Society Barometer report revealing that 30 per cent of young people consider military rule a viable alternative is a warning we cannot ignore, but we will never support military intervention in our political process.”

He added that security agencies should remain neutral in electoral matters, while electoral offenders should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent against political violence and vote-buying, explaining that they will continue to empower citizens to demand accountability in the polity.

According to Nwagwu, despite 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance, we are still witnessing electoral malpractice, political party inefficiencies, weak structures, and a growing distrust in the electoral processes.

He observed that Nigeria’s democracy is at a crossroads, but they will remain steadfast in their belief that a credible, free, and accountable system of governance is possible, saying that as civil societies, they will push for reforms that reflect the true will of the citizens.

The civil societies at the press conference are the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa.