Body Tasks Nigerians On Engagement With Political Leaders

The Coordinator, Campaign for Transformative Governance (CFTG) in Rivers State, Comrade Samuel Chikweri, has called on Nigerians to learn how to engage political leaders in policy making beyond being passive participants in the democratic process.
Comrade Chikweri made the call during a Town Hall/Stakeholders meeting organised by CFTG at Rumuwoji, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, recently.
The Coordinator explained that the overall objective of the group was to mobilise Nigerians to not only participate in the democratic process but to continually engage with the political leaders in building and fashioning policies and programmes that will meet the aspirations and welfare of the people .
“The campaign for transformative governance is a Labour and pro- Labour Civil Society Coalition together with pro- democracy activists and other stakeholders. The idea behind the formation of this organization is to build a viable and broad based coalition of activists and stakeholders that will champion good and transformative governance at all levels of government in Nigeria”, he said.
He pointed out that prior to the 2023 general elections, the organization went round the various senatorial districts in the state and educated the citizens on the need to own up the political process.
He said his considered it imperative to hold regular interactions and meetings with political office aspirants and engage them with a charter of demands as a basis for their support.
The group’s leader further explained that the said charter of demands includes the basic needs and expectations of the citizens from their leaders when elected into political office.
“Today’s meeting is to review the outcome of that engagement prior to the election but more to discuss issues around local government administration in response to the latest developments in that tier of government”, he said .
On local government administration, he explained that as the tier of government closest to the people, it was expected that the power of the local government administration should be exploited to bring good governance to the community people and added that without such endeavour, their existence makes no significant meaning.
Another reason he put up for the meeting was to know whether or not the people’s aspirations or expectations was met by the government and their level of follow up or engagement with the government and political office holders representing them.
This, he said, will enable them prepare for other levels of engagement and activities in the future.
The meeting centered on discussion on issues of national development in Nigeria with emphasis on Rivers state.
In her reaction, Mrs Susan Oko-jaja, called on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to improve on their performance as they prepare for the forthcoming LGA elections in the state.
Mrs Oko-jaja said that the elections must be transparent, noting that the present administration under Governor Siminalayi Fubara was committed to having a peaceful and successful local councils election.
The panel of discussants at the occasion included, Port Harcourt based Social Commentator/Activist, Comrade Ikenda Elechi-Amadi; Chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers ( FIDA) in Rivers State, Mrs Adata Bio-Briggs; the Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zone F, Comrade Opaka Dokubo and Dr Fred Dunibari, an Environmental Rights Activist.
High light of the occasion was the unveiling of the Campaign For Transformative Governance CHARTER of DEMAND.

King Onunwor