ActionAid Nigeria and some civil society organizations (CSOs) have resolved to review some of the pre and post election contentious judgements arising from the 2023 general elections in the country.
The resolution was taken at a consultative meeting between ActionAid and the CSOs Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), held Tuesday, in Abuja.
Some of the CSOs that participated in the meeting are; Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities represented by Winnie Ishaku (Kano post); Kimpact Development Initiative represented by Oluwafemi Adebayo (Adamawa post and Lagos pre); Centre for Social Justice represented by Sundayson Chichi (Abia); and Christian Aid (Pre Rivers).
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Participants at the meeting shared and consolidated efforts towards – promoting judicial accountability in post-election justice delivery in Nigeria.
Specifically, the meeting was aimed at deciphering how CSOs could work together to deepen ongoing programmes/projects of ActionAid, dedicated to raising awareness and spurring citizens’ actions to hold the judiciary accountable.
“This includes influencing the development and implementation of policies and laws that foster judicial accountability within the context of post-election justice dispensation, ActionAid stated.
Earlier in an introductory remarks, an official of ActionAid Nigeria, Oyin Bamigbaye, explained that the meeting was part of ActionAid activities for an ongoing project – Citizens’ Led Engagements on Judicial Accountability in Post-Election Justice Delivery in Nigeria, referred to as (CLEAP-Justice) Project.
Oyin hinted that the CLEAP-Justice Project is a citizen-centered and citizen-driven intervention that is designed to contribute to promoting accountability in post-election justice delivery in Nigeria.
She stated that the project aims at increasing civic consciousness, participation, and engagement in electoral adjudication processes thereby promoting mobilization and citizens’ actions.
Coordinator of ActionAid CLEAP Project, Adesuwa Iluobe, who moderated the meeting, stated that the review of the controversial judgments would take six weeks to complete.
She stated the interpretations by the judiciary that led to some of the contentious judgments at the various election petition tribunals will be reviewed, with a view to using the appraisal to advocate for informed electoral laws, guidelines, reforms etc that will guide the conduct of future elections in the country.
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities was assigned to review post election matters in Kano state; Kimpact Development Initiative will look into Adamawa state post election judgment as well as pre election matters in Lagos state.
The Centre for Social Justice is to review issues and judgment in respect of Abia state, while Christian Aid will review pre election matters in Rivers state.
