CISLAC Organizes Roundtable Uniting Citizens, CSOs, and Parliament to Combat Corruption and Strengthen Political Integrity
NEWS DIGEST – The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has organised one-day roundtable event to foster collaboration between citizens, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and parliamentarians to enhance oversight of anti-corruption agencies, regulators, and other stakeholders.
This initiative is a vital component of the “Strengthening Accountability Networks Amongst Civil Societies (SANCUS) Project in Nigeria.”
The program brought together diverse stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogues concerning the legislature’s critical role in overseeing anti-corruption agencies, regulators, and stakeholders with a focus on political integrity and political party financing issues.
Participants strived to propose effective strategies to address these challenges and ultimately improve governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Bathsheba Tagwai, CISLAC’s Senior Legal Officer, inaugurated the event, providing a platform for attendees to introduce themselves and their affiliations.
The Executive Director of CISLAC, Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, delivered insightful remarks on the pervasive issue of corruption in the nation, stating, “Corruption has taken over our country.”
He emphasized the event’s objective: “to bring together citizens, CSOs, and parliamentarians to facilitate constructive discussions on the legislature’s oversight functions and propose strategies for an improved performance.”
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Mr. Rafsanjani highlighted CISLAC’s legal advocacy program, which aims to assist victims of corruption and sexual assault cases, having successfully resolved numerous cases pro bono. He also acknowledged the pivotal role played by the National Assembly in combating corruption across all levels of society.
He expressed gratitude to Transparency International and the European Commission for their substantial support in the framework of the project and thanked all participants for their active involvement in the roundtable discussions.
The SANCUS project, “Strengthening Accountability Networks among Civil Society,” seeks to enhance democratic accountability of public institutions globally, empowering CSOs to demand systemic changes to address accountability and anti-corruption deficits. In the Nigerian context, the project is primarily focused on political integrity and political party financing.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Hon. Kayode Akiole from the National Assembly encouraged citizens to approach the National Assembly with genuine petitions for assistance, underscoring the importance of authenticity to avoid false claims.
Before concluding the event, Tijani Mohammed, LLM (BL), representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), presented recommendations centered around achieving political integrity through parliamentary oversight of anti-corruption and regulatory agencies.
These recommendations encompassed the demonetization of the electoral process, adherence to electoral rules by political actors, restoration of confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), advocacy for institutional independence, a more assertive mainstream media, intensified activism and advocacy by civil society to reform the electoral process, devolution of political powers, and the restoration of local government administration.
CISLAC’s organization of the roundtable event marked a significant step in uniting citizens, CSOs, and parliamentarians to tackle corruption and strengthen political integrity, fostering a brighter future for Nigeria.
