CSOs: Judiciary, electoral bodies must be strengthened for democracy to thrive

Stakeholders, including members of different civil society organisations (CSOs), say there is a need to strengthen the nation’s democratic institutions at the state and local government levels.

The stakeholders spoke at the subnational strengthening democracy conference held in Kano state.

The conference was organised through a strategic partnership between the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

The event brought together diverse stakeholders from academia, political parties, CSOs, traditional rulers, and governance experts to assess democratic progress and propose actionable reforms at the subnational level.

Itia Otabor, director of strategy at Centre LSD, said strengthening institutions that protect democratic practices and reforming Nigeria’s political party system is crucial.

Otabor expressed concerns over weak institutions, poor internal party structures, and a lack of ideological consistency among political parties.

He argued that without strong democratic institutions and well-structured parties, Nigeria’s democracy would remain unstable.

“For democracy to thrive, institutions like the judiciary, electoral bodies, and anti-corruption agencies must be strengthened to function independently and effectively,” Otabor said.

“Likewise, political parties must operate on clear ideologies rather than being mere platforms for power struggles.”

Abdullahi Sule, the director of programme at the Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA), who was the keynote speaker, identified major challenges in Nigeria’s democracy, including unempowered citizens, weak institutions, and a lack of internal democracy in political parties.

Sule stressed the need for improved transparency in governance, stronger legislative oversight, and mechanisms to enhance public accountability at all levels.

He recommended that the judicial service commission and legislative service commission, both at the federal and state levels, should be autonomous, especially regarding appointments and financing.

He also proposed that local government elections should be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rather than the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), adding that joint accounts between state and local governments should be abolished.

“INEC must have full control over its budget, appointments, and decision-making processes without external influence,” he said.

The conference communique highlighted the challenges facing democracy at the subnational level, including weak institutions, lack of internal democracy among political parties, lack of political inclusivity, and limited citizen participation in decision-making processes.

The communique emphasised the need for the executive, judiciary, legislature, traditional rulers, INEC, CSOs and media to work together to fortify democratic foundations, foster citizens’ engagement, and create pathways for credible and inclusive leadership.