By Ahmad Umar:
Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) in Gombe ,North-East of the country has mapped out plans to develop Charter of Demand for political party candidates ahead of 2019 general elections in the State.
This is to strengthen political accountability and make elected representatives more responsible and accountable in Gombe State.
Chairman of the Group, Ibrahim Yusuf, who is also the Chairman Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the State, disclosed this while briefing Journalists in Gombe.
He said that the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) would collaborate with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nigeria Bar Association, Association of NGOs and MNHC Coalition.
“The collaboration was necessary to make elected representatives more responsible and accountable and strengthen political accountability”.
Yusuf faulted the culture of developing manifestos and agenda by political parties and candidates without consulting the electorates for their input, adding that majority of Gombe electorates were unaware of the content of their candidates’ agenda.
He added that this innovative collaboration was geared towards ensuring that Nigerians derive the much needed dividends of democracy by advocating a change in electioneering processes, consultations and practices.
He used the forum to call on political parties to develop a strategy that would support more citizens’ participation and inclusive processes.
Yusuf appealed to aspiring politicians to cooperate with Civil Society Organizations in setting the agenda in Gombe State.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Gombe State chapter of the NUJ, Saidu Malala, said that journalists in the state had a duty to bring the government to account, adding that the dividends of democracy were everyone’s business.
Malala enjoined journalists in the state to document manifestos of political parties and candidates during Campaigns as a tool for assessing the performance of any administration after elections.