Dear Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
I am writing to you as a human rights defender and anti-corruption campaigner dedicated to making governance work in Nigeria. My support for the #EndBadGovernance protest originates from a deep-seated conviction that Nigeria has enormous potentials. This can only be realised if we take an inclusive and deliberative governance (not political office-holders and appointees) approach to addressing the fundamental challenges impeding our growth.
One of the concerns is the prevalence of tokenism in governance. Over the years, there has been superficial facial makeup in government programmes (such as school feeding, cash transfers, empowerment programmes in the national budget, etc.) that create an illusion of progress.
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We need meaningful fiscal reforms that show a genuine commitment to tackling the underlying causes impeding our growth. This involves you, the President, being responsible for leading with full commitment to implement zero tolerance for corruption at all levels and sectors of government, particularly the extractive industry, which has been a source of national revenue but is plagued with opacity and mismanagement.
The cost of corruption is huge – Anti-corruption agencies are working hard to prevent procurement fraud in all government agencies, including the presidency and constituency contracting processes, as well as corruption cases involving politically exposed persons leading public institutions (with immunity and impunity).
Sixty per cent of corruption cases in Nigeria are procurement-related and we have lost ₦2.9 trillion through contract fraud in three years! This not only results in significant losses and mismanagement of government revenues, but also feeds a cycle of lack of accountability and trust in the executive, judiciary, and legislative. A strong, functional, and independent accountability framework, with key components addressing negative behaviours and social norms, is crucial in guaranteeing that public funds are spent judiciously and in the best interests of all Nigerians.
Furthermore, your administration’s reputation is dependent on upholding the rule of law in a fair and just manner, but nepotism in recent appointments in the state and federal courts reflects state capture of the judiciary. The tokenism of seeking court injunctions to restrict peaceful protesters—a practice used to silence the dissenting voices of those you took an oath to serve—violates fundamental democratic rights.
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In a democratic nation like Nigeria, and with your leadership at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the court ought to lead by example to preserve justice and not be used to limit citizens’ freedoms. A democratic country like Nigeria, with courts that compromise justice, is on the verge of degeneration. When the process of achieving equity and balance is undermined, Nigeria cannot make good progress.
Another issue that demands immediate action is the over-bloated and unsustainable cost of government. The National budget has become a dumping ground for excessive expenditure on luxury for political officials, such as expensive refreshments, travel, sports utility vehicles, and houses. This is unacceptable, especially at a time when over 70 million Nigerians you serve, live with under $2 per day and struggle with basic needs. Legislators have continued to insert projects in the budgets of the MDAs (such as in the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)), even with allocations for constituency projects in the Executive’s budget. Two development commissions signed into law without considering the impact of existing development commissions or the Oransaye report is quite concerning. We must reduce government expenses, and political appointees, and repurpose our limited resources on key sectors that serve the majority of the citizens in a meaningful way.
The #EndBadGovernance protest calls for justice and equality in government service delivery and decision-making. I want a government that promotes a healthy civic space, respects citizens’ opinions, and prioritizes their well-being. The government must uphold the “of the people, by the people, and for the people” and “nothing about us without us” principles. Mr. President, you should collaborate with us, not against us!
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Finally, you should draw a clear line between government and politics in your administration – governance focused on policies and procedures in the best interest of the citizens you serve, free of the distractions and divisiveness of political manoeuvring. Tokenism in politics simply serves to appease rather than address and prioritise the actual problems of Nigerians.
Mr. President, I encourage you to take these issues seriously and try to build a strong Nigeria that is fair, just, and works for everyone. The time for your meaningful impact is now, and we hope your leadership can steer Nigeria in the direction we can proudly hand it on to our children without stain.
Yours in service,
Odeh Friday,
Country Director,
Accountability Lab Nigeria