Nigeria`s popular civil society organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has risen to the occasion to challenge the country`s presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election, reminding them that 2023 will not be “business as usual”.
SERAP have in their recent open letter addressed to these candidates identified some relevant areas, which they say are of interest to the Nigerian voters, who have shown more eagerness to participate in the 2023 elections than in the previous elections.
KEY FACTS
- SERAP wants these presidential candidates of the political parties to publish their assets and liabilities before the elections, as doing so would show that they can stand up for transparency in assets declaration by public officers if elected.
- The group have also declared to the candidates that public office is a public trust, so the voters deserve to hear from presidential candidates regarding what they will do about issues of public interest, particularly with respect to integrity, selflessness, openness, accountability, human rights, and the rule of law if elected.”
- Candidates must commitment to tackling corruption, such as the probing of the use of security votes by elected public officers, as well as the N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply, which has been allegedly squandered since 1999.
- SERAP therefore, wants the candidates to publicly take a positon on these issues before the election, which would show that if elected, they would act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner.
BACKGROUND
These issues were contained in an open letter written by SERAP, which was dated 11th of June 2022, and signed by the group`s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The open letter from SERAP was for the attention of the presidential candidates seeking for the votes of Nigerians in the upcoming February 2023 presidential election.
In the said open letter, the civil society group admonished the presidential candidates of these political parties to approach their ambition with the understanding that “the public office is a public trust.”
SERAP urged the candidates to reject vote-buying and every form of bribery and corruption of voters ahead of the elections, and also after the elections. They should instead depend on convincing the voters on why they deserve their votes.
The group further urged the candidates to voluntarily publish their assets even before the elections in other to boost confident and trust in themselves and also that of the voters.
They group says “While there is no constitutional requirement for presidential candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before elections, doing so would show that you can stand up for transparency in assets declaration by public officers if elected.
“The public office is a public trust. As such, the voters deserve to hear from presidential candidates regarding what they will do about issues of public interest, particularly with respect to integrity, selflessness, openness, accountability, human rights, and the rule of law if elected.” The letter reads.
SERAP further charged the candidates to publicly commit to tackling corruption, which has worsened under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group therefore, reminded them (the candidates) to “publicly commit to probing the spending of security votes since the return of democracy in 1999” as well as the trillions of Naira that has been wasted in the electricity sector since 1999.
NOTABLE QUOTES
SERAP`s open letter reads in part:
“commitment to addressing these fundamental issues of public interest by immediately publishing details of your assets and rejecting vote-buying, intimidation and harassment”.
“Publicly committing to these issues will also show the voters that if elected you would act solely to protect the public interest; and avoid placing yourself under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence you in the discharge of your constitutional duties.
“It would also show that you would be accountable to the public for your actions and submit yourself to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
“Your public commitment to these issues will also demonstrate to the voters that if elected you would act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner, and that you would not withhold information from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
“Now is the time to show the voters that it will be no business as usual, and to make a public commitment on issues that if addressed would strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption and human rights records, and improve access of Nigerians to public goods and services.”
“Widely publishing your assets before the elections would also show your principled stand on transparency and accountability in the management of the country’s resources,” the group added.
“Vote buying amounts to undue influence and improper electoral influence. When politicians buy votes, they reinforce social subjugation and do long-term damage to poor voters.”
“Impunity for corruption and grave human rights violations is widely prevalent in Nigeria, as perpetrators are rarely brought to justice.”
“Successive governments, including the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, have persistently failed to obey court orders and the rule of law, thereby eroding the citizens’ trust in the judiciary, and violating Nigeria’s international human rights obligations,”
“N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply has been allegedly squandered by governments since 1999. Many unimplemented reports of corruption in the electricity sector continue to gather dust on the shelves while suspected perpetrators continue to profit from their crimes. Socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians continue to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector.”
“Successive governments and state governors have persistently failed to explain to Nigerians how they spend security votes meant to ensure the security and welfare of Nigerians. In fact, the misuse and embezzlement of public funds in the name of security votes is widely recognized as a major cause of the ongoing security challenges in several parts of the country.”
“Please let us know if you and your political party are willing to commit to some or all of the issues outlined in this letter.”
