CDD to Leaders: Fix Security, Economy, Elections – Let Citizens Lead Renewal  

By Joseph Sunday 

As Nigeria marks Democracy Day on 12 June 2026, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) has called on leaders and citizens to recommit to accountable governance, justice, and active participation. 

Twenty-seven years after the return to civil rule in 1999, CDD says Democracy Day should prompt sober reflection on progress made and challenges that persist. 

The group cited the 19 May 2026 abduction of 39 students and seven teachers from three schools in Oriire LGA, Oyo State, as the latest sign of worsening insecurity. From Boko Haram in the North-East to banditry and farmer-herder clashes in the North-West and North-Central, CDD said gaps in security are eroding public trust and driving communities toward self-help measures.

CDD also flagged Nigeria’s economic pressures. GDP growth slowed to 3.89% in Q1 2026 from 4.07% in Q4 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Despite services accounting for 57.73% of GDP, high inflation, currency depreciation, and rising food and transport costs compounded by the impact of fuel subsidy removal have left many households struggling.

The statement pointed to fragile infrastructure, noting that the national grid collapsed on 23 January 2026, with two more major failures recorded since. CDD linked the instability to decades of underinvestment and poor governance in the power sector, which continues to disrupt homes and businesses.

On governance, CDD warned that electoral competition is weakening. It argued that political parties remain driven by ethnic, regional, religious, and personal interests rather than ideology. With courts increasingly determining election outcomes, public confidence in INEC and the ballot is declining.

The Centre noted that these problems cut across tiers of government. State and local administrations contend with executive dominance, weak legislatures, and compromised judiciaries. Despite a Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy, local governments remain largely controlled by states, with elections often lacking credibility.

For CDD, the common thread is a governance deficit — weak institutions, corruption, and eroded checks and balances. Democracy, it said, must deliver security, development, and justice to be meaningful.

Yet the group sees hope in citizen resilience. Nigerians, it noted, continue to demand accountability and support one another through crises. CDD urged citizens to register, collect their PVCs, and vote, describing the Permanent Voter Card as a critical tool for demanding better leadership.

The Centre called on governments to prioritize security reform, infrastructure investment, economic protection for vulnerable groups, judicial and legislative independence, genuine local government autonomy, and electoral transparency. 

The statement, signed by CDD-West Africa Director, Dauda Garuba, PhD, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to monitoring governance, supporting reforms, and promoting citizen participation.