from Idu Jude Abuja
Worried over the shabby outcome of 2023 generals elections which ended up in several law courts, an urgent need for civic education for Nigeria youths has been advocated as a penasea for future credible elections.
This campaign, is being carried out by an advocacy groups under the aegis of Initiative for research group Innovation and advocate in Nigeria, (IRIAD)and the Electoral Hub,
The programme,, which took place in Abuja Monday, with the tittled ‘deepening understanding and commitment to Democratic governance, is used to perfect civic education programme for youths, aimed at improving knowledge and understanding of the local-level governance and democratic institutions in Nigeria.
The Director Electoral Hub, Princess Hamman-Obels, while, welcoming participants during the workshop, also noted that deepening civic awareness and democratic values and principles; empowering young people, embodied on identifying electoral and governance challenges at their states and local government levels.
In achieving this, Princess Hamman-Obels, said that the workshop, was also to establish collaborations between different youth associations and other civil society groups to strengthen local levels elections and governance; as well as an increasing number of civic and electoral advocates.
While delivering a lead paper, professor Ogoh Alubo, of University of Jos, noted that Nigeria must start taking into consideration some of these things that encourage money politics to ballot snatching and thumb printing of voters papers.
Prof Alubo, said, ” “I believe that the youth should be in the electoral system., to take over the aging ones. As the political system keeps going on, the current crop of politicians will retire and some may pass to eternity, so we need to be bringing up training for the next generation that will replace them. That’s why we have a crucial role for the youth, so we cannot keep them out of the system.”
On if money politics is succeeding in Nigeria, he said,”What I do know is that those who have deep pockets are able to get their way. And try and see what happens when there was a national convention, some people came to convention, and they got enough money to buy a car. So, those that have the money seem to be buying their way and getting the party tickets.
“So does that mean success or not? I don’t know. But money does play a very crucial role at every stage of the contest. We must look beyond the individual characters. We must look at the success of democracy and the extent to which we carry people from every level of the population. The young people, the old people, rich people, poor people, women, people who have disabilities, and it’s only when we do that I can talk about success.
“Part of what the workshop is trying to do is how to get the young people to look at things differently. Can we get people to have a different understanding of democracy, that is not an investment for people to be recruited to make money, but that democracy is actually going down there to provide service to help the people. If we have reconceptualization, that political story will change.
Also delivering a paper tittled ‘ legal framework for Democracy and Democratic governance ‘ Barrister Brenda Anugwom, insisted that overtime Nigeria has disregarded the electoral provisions establishing the independent Electoral Commission INEC., And other relevant agancies.
While sighting some relevant sections of Nigeria constitution establishing the INEC, but was down played during the elections, noted that the interpretation of these relevant sections has become necessary to educate the youths and other Nigerians against subsequent elections in future.
” Here we have different things happening against the constitution provisions. The outcome of the elections was different from the standards set by the electoral law but was accepted. Sometimes we make reference about FCT being one of the states in Nigeria or not but with the constitution provisions, we should no better.
” My personal suggestions, is that Nigeria constitution is long over due for review and I can say this unequivocally because the same constitution that disqualified a Nigeria from being employed as Minister without NYSC certificate, should also disqualify a presidential candidate who cannot provide Senior School Certificate Certificate SSCE”.
Similarly, participants, observed that the significance of elections is not only the realization of rule of law in Election in Africa generally.
It opined that Elections, should allow for equality of political participation and free competition among interest groups. And are one of many ways of choosing leadership and disposing of old governments in a political system.
That Political participation in democracy is based on the notion of citizens’ political equality.
It explained that Political equality implies individuals who so wish can form a political party and contest in elections on the same conditions. And also all citizens of age and mental sanity should be able to cast their vote based on the principle of one man one vote.
In essence, the sovereignty of the people should be distributed equally.