COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF 6th NATIONAL CSOs CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON PEACE AND SECURITY ORGANIZED BY CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) WITH SUPPORT FROM NIGERIA STABILITY AND RECONCILIATION PROGRAM (NSRP) AT TOP RANK GALAXY, UTAKO DISTRICT, ABUJA ON THE 27th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2014 Preamble: The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) organized the 6th National CSOs Consultative Meeting on Peace and Security with the support from Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Program (NSRP). The consultative meeting focused on the strategic role political actors can play along with stakeholders in the design of a peace template towards achieving conflict free elections in 2015 and beyond. The forum featured participants who were drawn from stakeholders across the various thematic areas which include National Youth Parliament (NYP), Women Arms of political parties, security agencies, NGOs, FBOs, Youth and Labor Organizations, Media and CBOs. Observations: 1. The perception of the use of state institutions to promote personal interest and manipulation of electoral process was viewed with serious concern as acts capable of overheating the political temperature towards the 2015 general elections. 2. The basic requirement for good governance is security, and this requires all stakeholders to pursue it holistically away from the current political despair in Nigeria which is deeply polarized along religious and ethnic lines with clear coloration of sentiment. 3. There is as usual a low participation of women vying for elected political offices with little change to be expected. Only a few women are holding leadership positions at the state and national level. Women are not currently featuring prominently in most of the permutations, neither are they strategically involved in most of the political parties. 4. Deficiencies in the preparedness of various actors such as INEC, Security agencies, religious groups and political parties are also compounding the risks of violence. Proposed amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act, including provisions for establishment of an election offences tribunal, which were intended to prevent or punish electoral offences including violence, remain stuck in the National Assembly. 5. Civil Society Groups in Nigeria still remains very prominent in engaging state actors on one side and educating the citizens on the other on the roles and responsibilities of every institution towards reclaiming the country from the brinks of collapse. 6. The Judiciary is still not divorced from prolonged duration of electoral cases and biased interpretation of law which has largely had undue political interference as well as compromised the autonomy of the judiciary. Recommendations: 1. The political class should deploy proper conduct in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as the rule of law by strengthening state institutions and align its objectives with national interest. 2. Government should desist from exploiting ethnicity and religions during election with recommendations that a national, regional, ethnic and inter-faith public forums to jointly and publicly commit to non-violence, and establish channels of communication and contingency plans to respond to large-scale communal violence.. 3. Political Parties in Nigeria should provide more incentives that will catalyze the increase of women participation in politics as well as adjust timing for political meetings. However, women were urged to position themselves and engage more strategically in its demand for elective offices. 4. All political actors should intensify efforts to build an un-biased relationship, particularly opposition parties; including holding constant consultations to discuss and explain major decisions, sparing no effort in trying to increase confidence and ensuring transparent relations with all parties, individuals and civil society. The legislature should ensure speedy passage of the amended Electoral Act. 5. Civil Society Organizations an media should engage more actively with educating the youth groups especially, in poor urban and rural areas, and strengthen participatory early warning and early response systems, and raise timely alerts of possible violence. 6. The Judiciary should develop specific timelines in the dispensation of justice as well as designate specific courts for political issues and appoint an ombudsman to monitor judicial process and enforce sanctions. Conclusion Participants thanked CISLAC with the support from NSRP for providing the platform for engagement. The meeting resolved to continue to respond to acts from the state actors capable of undermining the country’s nascent democracy. CSOs urged the Nigeria Police Force to tread with caution and not be caught in the midst of political harum-scarum. Politicians were urged to desist from the use of inflammatory and provocative comments. The plight of over 6million Internally Displaced Persons in the Nigeria resulting from various conflict and terrorism needs urgent intervention from the government. Signed: Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) Executive Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Abuja Jaye Gaskiya Convener Praxis Centre Abuja Otunba Basirat Nahibi President Women Advancement for Economic & Leadership Empowerment in Africa Abuja
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 10:25:23 +0000
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