By JKNewsMedia
TURNING NIGERIA’s democratic gains into better living conditions, greater security and accountable governance should be a priority for the Federal Government and state governments as the country marks 66 years of independence, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has said.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the organisation said Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and more than two decades of uninterrupted civilian government represent important milestones but argued that the country’s democratic journey must ultimately be measured by whether citizens can live safely, participate meaningfully in government, afford basic necessities and trust public institutions to serve their interests.
CAPPA said Independence Day had, for many Nigerians, become little more than an acknowledgement of the country’s political existence, with some citizens seeking a second address abroad or planning to leave the country altogether.
It urged the government to use the anniversary to reflect honestly on the gap between the promises made at independence and the realities confronting millions of Nigerians.
The organisation said the country was approaching its 66th anniversary at a difficult time for many households, with poverty, food insecurity and pressure on household incomes remaining serious concerns despite the FG’s focus on economic reforms, stabilisation and renewed growth.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported in June that 63 per cent of Nigerians were living below the national poverty line, while an estimated 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in late 2025.
CAPPA said the government’s stated ambition of moving from reform and stabilisation towards shared prosperity must be measured against the lived experience of ordinary Nigerians.
“Beyond statistics and policy announcements, Nigerians need to feel the difference in their pockets, homes, communities, workplaces and markets,” CAPPA said.
The organisation urged the government to make citizens’ welfare a central measure of economic policy by prioritising affordable food, implementing a living wage, providing decent jobs, expanding access to healthcare and quality education, and ensuring reliable electricity, public water and social protection.
CAPPA said economic reforms should not be judged solely by improved government revenues, investment or macroeconomic indicators, but by their impact on household incomes, hardship, opportunities and vulnerable Nigerians.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the organisation said Nigeria had an opportunity to strengthen the democratic institutions through which citizens choose their leaders and hold them accountable.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027, followed by the governorship and State House of Assembly elections on 6 February 2027.
CAPPA urged the FG, INEC, political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the elections are peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive.
It described allegations of vote-buying, undue influence, intimidation and other electoral offences in the recently concluded Osun State governorship polls as troubling.
The organisation said Nigerians must be able to vote without intimidation, violence, manipulation or fear, while electoral institutions must operate independently and transparently.
It also called for greater transparency around election technology, voter registration, collation and results management, alongside timely resolution of electoral disputes.
CAPPA stressed that democracy must extend beyond elections, saying citizens should be able to question government, demand information, organise peacefully, criticise public policy and participate in decisions that affect their lives.
“The government must therefore protect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and civic participation, while ensuring that journalists, civil society organisations, workers, students and ordinary citizens can speak and organise without intimidation,” the organisation said.
Referencing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)’s recent reminder to political actors that democracy encompasses citizens’ dignity, voice and rights, CAPPA called for a peaceful, inclusive and rights-respecting political environment ahead of the 2027 elections. JKNewsMedia.com
The organisation condemned campaigns based on ethnic or religious mobilisation, misinformation, intimidation and empty promises, while calling for political parties and candidates to be held to a higher standard.
CAPPA also described security as a democratic dividend, saying Nigeria’s progress could not be discussed without addressing the insecurity affecting communities across the country.
It said insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and other forms of insecurity continue to threaten lives, livelihoods, education, agriculture and freedom of movement, despite some gains by the military and other security agencies.
The organisation said security agencies must operate within the law and respect human rights.
Referring to police attacks on peaceful Nigerians during anti-landgrab protests in Lagos, CAPPA said a secure Nigeria must protect citizens from both violent non-state actors and unlawful abuses by state authorities.
CAPPA further urged the FG and National Assembly (NASS) to strengthen institutions rather than allow political power and public resources to become overly dependent on individual office holders.
It called for stronger oversight of public expenditure, transparent procurement, open contracting and effective enforcement against corruption, stressing that public office must remain a public trust.
The organisation also urged the government to invest more substantially in education, healthcare, public water systems, agriculture and other essential services instead of allowing deteriorating public institutions to become a justification for their commercialisation or transfer to private interests.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that at 66, CAPPA said Nigeria had reason to acknowledge the sacrifices, resilience and achievements that have kept the country together through decades of political, economic and social upheaval.
But it said patriotism should not require Nigerians to remain silent about what is failing.
“The Nigeria of our dreams cannot be built by pretending that everything is working,” CAPPA said. “It will be built by confronting what is broken, fixing our institutions and ensuring that government works for the people.”
The organisation urged the FG to use the 66th anniversary as a turning point by strengthening the electoral system ahead of 2027, protecting civic and democratic freedoms, making citizens’ welfare the measure of economic policy, rebuilding public services and infrastructure, and developing a security system that protects lives, livelihoods and rights.
CAPPA also called on Nigerians to participate actively in democratic life, scrutinise political promises, demand accountability from elected officials and reject attempts to divide citizens along ethnic, religious or regional lines.
—
Share Your Story with us!
Advertise with us!
Publicity for a product, service, or event!
Contact: WhatsApp Only: +2348039560647
Email: jkmediapress@gmail.com
