Nigeria's Electoral Democracy: 'Power. Conspiracy. Corruption'.

At last we now have a good platform to help build informed citizenry by providing independent analysis of our electoral democracy where a group of people with a monopoly of violence hijacked the polity with the aid of the people that helped them to win elections.
 The elites control national resources including the local government areas making participation very difficult.

Through out this dispensation, all we've been hearing is how our elected officials have been moving looted funds around, using private jets, superyatchts, and now buring the stolen funds in uncompleted buildings, forests and burial grounds- what a country!.

 We have emphasised the need for inclusivessness by advocating for decentralisation/regional autonomy to help free-up national resources at the centre to enable grassroot development and overall economic development. The current federal system of government creates the condition for individualism, sycophancy and corruption through identity politics.

For further information on our analysis of social issues in Nigeria read :  http://www.zurumnewsdigest.com/

 Citizens want to work with the government to improve their lives. They are seeking deeper engagement in decisions that affect their lives.They want government that is open.inclusive and responsive.

Sadly our democratic experience is in continuos retrogression devoid of inclusiveness and accountability. According to UNDP: "Inequality and exclusion are major impediments to human progress already threatening both global security and social stability within countries''.

 It's our desire to help make citizens aware of the money allocated to their services, the actual conditions of the services, to ensure accountability, helping them make informed choices about leadership. "raising poor citizens voice through the ballot and widely available information can increase their influence with policy makers and reduce the diversion of public services''- World Bank.

 Citizens need information and the skills to voice their concerns, act collectively, and hold public officials accountable.
We'll be seeking to publish monthly and annual accounts allocated to the States, LGA's and Constituency funds, to help citizens hold their elected officials to account.

Elected officials should do more to embrace economic diversification, massive infrastructure development, encourage research and innovation and seek partnerships that will help prepare ordinary people for the new way of doing things including a new way of jobs.

 The truth is that loads of jobs will disappear in the future due to technology. This portends a great danger and there seems to be no adequate preparations given the consolidation of the status-quo.

According to Professor  Gerry Warburg ; Our goal is neither to  'produce partisan talking points, nor to favour one governance philosophy over others', rather to help facilitate citizen engagement by helping ordinary people have informed knowledge of democracy, democratic process, participation,  resources allocated to them and how they can have effective dialogue with elected officials and policy makers for effective and efficient service delivery.




Uche Okeke.