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Security and Governance Challenges in Africa's Largest Democracy''

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Security and Governance Challenges in Africa's Largest Democracy'' REPORT 0F THE POST-2015 ELECTIONS CONFERENCE ON “SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES IN AFRICA'S LARGEST DEMOCRACY'' SCDDD Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development With Support from Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, (DTCA) Report of The Post-2015 Elections Conference on “Security And Governance Challenges In Africa's Largest Democracy'' i All Rights Reserved ©2015 Savannah Centre for D Contact: Suite 3E Adisa Plaza Abdulsallami Abubakar Road Apo- Gudu, Abuja. [email protected] www.savannahcentre.org Tel: +2347039296332, +2348024240099 SCDDD is a registered independent non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit “think-tank” committed to policy advocacy and analysis in the three thematic areas of Diplomacy, Democracy and Development. Savannah Centre's programmes are targeted at conflict prevention, management, democratization and sustainable development in Africa. Report Amb. Abdullahi . A. Omaki, Executive Director SCDDD, Team Leader Evelyn Okwara, (Barr.)Programme Officer Report of The Post-2015 Elections Conference on “Security And Governance Challenges In Africa's Largest Democracy'' ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Ÿ Preface: …………..................................................................... iv - vi Ÿ Acknowledgments: ……………………………………................. vii Ÿ Executive Summary on Conference Proceedings, Conclusions and Appraisals ......................................................................... 1 - 14 Main Report of the Conference: Paper Presentations, Comments, and Discussions ...................................................... 15 - 57 Ÿ Conference Recommendations and Appraisals: ……...............… 58 - 65 Annexures: Ÿ Annex I: Message from the Chairman and Founder of SCDDD: …66 - 68 Ÿ Annex ii: Welcome Address by the Executive Director: …………. 69 - 75 Ÿ Annex iii: Key note Address by the Guest Speaker: ………….……76 - 91 Ÿ Annex iv (Paper 1): ………………………………......................... 92 - 110 Ÿ Annex v (Paper 2): …………………………………...................... 111 - 124 Ÿ Annex vi (Paper 3): …………………………………………...….... 125 - 137 Ÿ Annex vii (Paper 4): ………………………………....................... 138 - 153 Ÿ Annex viii (Paper 6): …………………....................................... 154 - 163 Ÿ Annex ix: Conference Programme : ……………………………... 164 - 170 Ÿ Annex x: List of Participants: .................................................... 171 - 180 Ÿ About DTCA: ……………………………………………............. 181 - 184 Ÿ About SCDDD and Briefs on Founder: ………………………….. 185 - 186 Ÿ Conference Photo Gallery ………………................................. 187 - 193 Ÿ Ÿ Report of The Post-2015 Elections Conference on “Security And Governance Challenges In Africa's Largest Democracy'' iii PREFACE critically challenged in areas of Security, onsistent with the Constitution Socio-economic difficulties and other and Electoral Laws of the Environmental factors that call for CFederal Republic of Nigeria, timely responses. These include high Nigerians went to the polls on 28th poverty levels, insurgencies in the March and 11th April, 2015 to elect the North–East and security challenges in President, Governors and members of different parts of the Country, huge the National Assembly and State Houses unemployed youth population, of Assembly respectively. proliferation of small arms and light weapons, weak institutions and For the first time since Nigeria's return to disconnect between Governance and Democracy in 1999, Nigerian the people, all of which that have over Electorates voted out the incumbent the years helped to entrench Government at the Federal and in inequalities, hence basis for continuous several state levels, thereby ending a 16- agitations, some of which unfortunately year governance by the majority party, are capable of leading to radicalization the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In and extremism in our societies. effect, on 29th May, 2015, the All Progressive Congress (APC) the leading Furthermore, it appeared that the Nigerian opposition party would responses of National Political assume the constitutional powers to Leadership to Security, Economic issues, govern at the Federal level and in the 22 Corruption, Youth unemployment States of the 36 States of the Federation. were generally perceived as unsatisfactory. For instance, despite the This recent shift in the National polity, rebasing of the Nigerian Economy suggests that Nigeria's nascent which led to its being called the largest Democracy is possibly taking Economy in Africa, wide spread incremental but significant steps poverty and resurgence of youth towards maturation. With a registered restiveness still persist. This scenario has voting population of 68.9 Million been compounded by shortfalls in oil people out of the national population export earnings and decline in the value of 167.8 Million, of which 29.4 Million of the Nigerian currency. In essence, people actually voted during the 2015 apart from the general air of uncertainty Presidential Election, Nigeria is easily and apprehension especially as the the largest democracy in Africa. Country battles the Boko Haram Nonetheless, the Country remains insurgent group, a disconnect between iv the acclaimed posterity of the Nigerian stakeholder, is committed to leveraging Economy and the people, remains. on the success recorded during this political dispensation to strengthen the Finally, although, the elections were Nation's Security, Governance, Political regarded as largely peaceful, however, Accountability and Transparency. The challenges that Nigeria faced prior to Centre is grateful to the Directorate at and during the elections still remain. the Technical Cooperation in Africa Whilst it is important to have successful (DTCA), which supported the hosting of elections, periodic elections in this Conference, whose relevance and themselves, do not ensure good beneficiaries go beyond Nigeria and the Governance. There is therefore, an sub-region. overarching need by all Stakeholders to deliberate and develop holistic The overall goal and objectives of the 2- strategies and frameworks that will day conference was to interface with guide policy actions in order to representatives of the International sufficiently deal with these agitating Community of Nigeria, Media experts, National matters. Party Leaders, Leading Nigeria Scholars and Researchers in the field of Defense, Against the foregoing background of Security, Extremism and Terrorism, national insecurity and relatively poor Economic and Political Governance, levels of National Economic and International Monetary and Financial Political Governance, the Savannah Institutions, NGOs and other relevant Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Stakeholders to deliberate on strategies Development (SCDDD) under its that would best address issues of “Nigeria Beyond 2015 Project” Security and Governance in Nigeria, her organized a two-day Post–elections immediate neighbours, the Sub-region Conference with the theme: “Security and Africa. This is necessary as only and Governance Questions in Africa's sustainable security can guarantee largest Democracy” from 18th-19th development of the Continent. May, 2015. Indeed, Savannah Centre, Similarly, good Governance, along with other Civil Society groups, Transparency and Accountability are played very crucial roles in ensuring that pertinent for strengthening a Nation the elections were credible, fair, and its citizenry. The Savannah Center acceptable and peaceful, through the as a Think-Tank would share with the MacArthur Foundation Supported incoming Federal Government, the 'Council of the Wise Panel on 2015 outcome of this conference, including Elections'. The Centre, as a key its recommendations. v The two-day Conference had three We commend this publication to all main components, namely: the Paper those interested in understanding the Presentations, Round Table Discussions imperativeness of this nexus, in and the Vision and Actions Sessions. particular the necessity for a new social While the Paper Presentations contract between governments and the component set the tone for the governed in Nigeria and the rest of deliberations as well as raised and Africa, an imperative necessity for not analyzed issues, the Round Table only the improvement of governance in discussions focused on Socio-economic the continent but prevention of and Security imperatives under the extremism and radicalization of groups auspices of the expanded Multinational in Africa which inevitably will pose Joint Task Force (MJTF) to address the severe security challenges in the Security and the Socio-economic continent and the world and ultimately imperatives of the region. The Vision its development and progress. and Action Session on the other hand, involved outlining of the Conference's resolution and specific recommendations that will be relevant for the formulation of policies by the Amb. Abdullahi A. Omaki, nooc, fsma, incoming Federal Government of Executive Director, Nigeria as well as guide other June 2015 Governments in the sub-region. Finally, we extend sincere and deep appreciation to the Ag. DG. of DTCA, Mr. Shuaibu Suleiman, for his organization's faith in the Savannah Centre, which informed the basis for DTCA's support for this Conference, whose beneficiaries are not only Nigeria and Nigerians but our neiboughring Countries, sub-region and Africa. The discernable conclusion from this conference is the indisputable nexus between Peace, Security and Development. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Savannah Center for Diplomacy ,Democracy and Development(SCDDD), wishes
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