2023: NGOs PICaN, PERL Intensify Demand for Accountability from Politicians

By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna

Partnership for Issues-based Campaigns in Nigeria (PICaN) in collaboration with Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL) said they have intensified efforts towards holding candidates seeking for public offices accountable to fulfilling their campaign promises.

The Organisations disclosed this on Friday during a one-day Reflection Session to Analysis and Ascertain the Influence of Citizens’ Demand Charter on Candidates Manifestos held in Kaduna.

Mr Yusuf Ishaku Goje, Co-convener for PICaN in a remark said, the organisations were concerned with partnering Nigerian governments, policy communities, public discourse and development partners to demand and use a strengthened evidence base to deliver more effective public-sector reform.

Goje said the mandates also include questions around services to the citizenry and how citizens themselves engage with these processes.

“To this end, we have organised a dialogue with candidates with six political gubernatorial candidates from APC, NNPC, PRP, PDP, APGA and LP.

“The idea is aimed at reviewing candidates’ blueprint vis a viz the current realities and for the public to be aware,” he added.

Also, Mr Abel Adejor, the State Team Lead of PERL on his part, noted that the Organisation supported how governments organise their core business of making, implementing, tracking and accounting for policies, plans and budgets used in delivering public goods including, economic stability and an enabling environment for private enterprise to promote growth and reduce poverty.

Adejor said there had been a series of interfaces with the National Assembly to ensure that the budget reflected on manifestos of political office aspirants.

“We have had one on one dialogue with candidates and their respective parties to track their commitment when any of them is elected into office.

“It is our call that every stakeholder should take up as part of their social responsibility to ensure public office holders are held accountable,” he added.

Earlier, Mr Seth Luke, Project Officer, Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED) said part of the efforts of the organisation was to enlighten candidates on the situation of the state as well as expectations of the citizens.

“These demands are supposed to reflect in their manifestos and also give candidates an idea of the people’s expectations.

“Basically, we track, analyse citizens’ demand on published manifestos by respective candidates,” Luke added.