The National Democracy Stakeholders Group (NSDG), a pro-democracy and non-profit organisation, says President Muhammadu Buhari will lead the 2018 edition of “Democracy Solidarity Walk”.
Kletsaint Akor, NSDG’s convener, told reporters on Sunday that Buhari would lead the walk scheduled for May 29 at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
He said the walk, organised by NSDG in collaboration with state and non-state partners, would also be led by governors in the 36 state capitals across Nigeria.
According to Akor, the walk, which is the fourth edition with the theme “Walk for credible, free and fair 2019 election”, is expected to attract over 1 million people nationwide.
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He said the aim of the exercise was to moblise Nigerians to take ownership of the 2019 electoral process through participation, enlightenment and protection of Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
“The 2018 edition of the annual Democracy Solidarity Walk will be led by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja and the governors in each of the 36 states,” he said.
“It is expected to draw participation from all Nigerian democracy stakeholders, including representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC), Trade Union Congress(TUC), political parties, National Orientation Agency, aspirants to elective political offices.
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“Others expected to participate are the media, pro-democracy groups, civil society groups, development partners, students union representatives, Non-Governmental Organisations and ordinary Nigerian citizens whose best interests are served by credible elections.”
The convener recalled that the first democracy walk, which took place in May 2009 to celebrate Nigeria’s first ever 10 years of uninterrupted democratic governance since independence in 1960, drew a huge participation.
Akor said that the event was marked again in 2013 and 2017, and had grown into a major component of Nigeria’s annual Democracy Day celebrations as Nigerians had realised that there was no alternative to democracy.
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