Democracy Day: CSOs seek equity, fairness, inclusiveness in Nigeria’s national life
CSOs advocate equity, fairness, inclusiveness as Nigeria marks democracy day
Democracy
By Cecilia Ijuo
Abuja, June 12, 2019 (NAN) Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (NCSON) says the best way to celebrate Democracy Day is to ensure equity, fairness, and inclusiveness in every aspect of life in the country.
National Coordinator of the group, Mr Kalu Victor, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday said that on Democracy Day, Nigerians should be celebrating togetherness and justice.
While acknowledging the sacrifices made by the late MKO Abiola in the promotion of democracy in the country, Victor said that the issue with June 12 Democracy Day should not be perceived a move to appease a particular region.
He said rather, it should be viewed as a move in furtherance of peaceful coexistence, unity, and justice for all.
“In marking this day, what should be paramount on our minds should be accommodation of all Nigerians in the scheme of things, fairness, equity,” he said.
Victor advocated transparency in the conduct of the country’s general elections as exemplified in the 9th National Assembly elections, saying it was one of the ways to move the country forward.
He stressed that, “if the 2019 general election was conducted the way the national assembly election was conducted on Tuesday, we would not have had the unending court cases and there would have been less or no causality.
He said being one of the major tools of democratic governance, a free, fair and credible election would be one of the best ways to go in sustaining the country’s democracy which had spanned 20 uninterrupted years.
According to him the only way to re-echo the sacrifices made by Abiola and other founding fathers of democracy in the country is to continue to ensure transparency, shun corruption, ensure justice and respect for the rule of law, among other things.
He, on June 10, signed the bill recognising June 12 as Democracy Day in honour of Abiola, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election.(NAN)
CJM/YEE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)