By JKNewsMedia
MOUNTING PUBLIC frustration over chronic poverty, insecurity, and a faltering democratic system has prompted fresh calls from the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), for President Bola Tinubu’s administration to honour its promise of delivering real democratic dividends to Nigerians.
In a statement marking the 32nd anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993 election and 26 years of uninterrupted civilian governance, the organisation lamented the glaring disconnect between routine electoral cycles and meaningful progress for citizens.
Despite periodic elections since 1999, CAPPA observed that institutions tasked with public service delivery have failed to transform electoral participation into real socio-economic upliftment.
Public agencies, it noted, continue to mismanage collective resources, leaving essential services dilapidated and trust in government eroded.
The group warned that the erosion of public trust has reached critical levels, with waves of youth-led protests across the country pointing to a deeper crisis of survival for millions of Nigerians.
While referencing the scale of hardship, CAPPA cited figures indicating that nearly 130 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line, with an additional 13 million projected to fall into poverty amid economic shocks.
The group decried the situation as a betrayal of Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth, arable land, and human capacity.
The statement condemned successive privatisation policies that have escalated the cost of basic services beyond the reach of most citizens.
With access to water, housing, health care, electricity, and education continuing to deteriorate, CAPPA expressed concern that democracy has yet to materialise as a lived reality for the average Nigerian.
Institutional integrity was another point of alarm. CAPPA warned that key national bodies, including anti-corruption agencies, the judiciary, and the legislature, are buckling under political interference.
It alleged that back-door appointments and undue executive influence are steadily undermining their independence and effectiveness.
The group also criticised what it described as an alarming trend of judicial misuse by state governments to restrict civil liberties.
Noting instances in Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory, CAPPA said court orders are increasingly deployed to stifle protests and curtail free speech, turning peaceful assembly into a state-controlled affair.
Calling for the immediate withdrawal of terrorism-related charges levelled against young protesters from the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations, the group underscored the urgency of preserving freedom of expression and civic engagement as fundamental pillars of democracy.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, CAPPA warned that Nigeria’s democratic credibility remains at risk unless systemic reforms are undertaken.
The organisation voiced strong support for legislative proposals seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, describing them as necessary tools to insulate the Independent National Electoral Commission from political capture.
The group further demanded that electoral commissioners be appointed through a transparent, merit-based process, free from presidential influence.
It highlighted the approaching end of INEC’s current leadership tenure in November 2025 as an opportunity to reset the system through accountable and inclusive mechanisms.
To avoid another rushed reform cycle, CAPPA urged the National Assembly to fast-track its ongoing constitutional review and electoral reform process within 2025.
It advised that final legislative adjustments must prioritise citizen participation and institutional accountability to restore faith in the ballot.
The statement concluded with a call to ensure that voting is made accessible for all eligible Nigerians, both domestically and in the diaspora.
It pressed for the resolution of ambiguities in result transmission and endorsed real-time electronic transmission of election results as a vital step toward electoral transparency and trust.
