NGOs partner to facilitate effective advocacy ahead 2023 polls

Two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Nigeria Network of NGOs and the Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks on Wednesday collaborated to focus on facilitating effective advocacy on issues of civic space, national development and election credibility.

The development was reached by both NGOs while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise a partnership between the two networks at a strategic and operational level.

The Civil Society Networks represented by its Chairman, Ibrahim Waiya said that it was to also focus on advocating for issues around local philanthropy, regulatory frameworks, unity, peace, and security especially at a time when civil society regulations in Nigeria continued to remain knotty.

Waiya said the NGO had also been providing support on how the electoral system could work effectively .

He further stated that thr group participated in the process of advocating for the best practices to be reflected in the electoral law which was recently signed into law.

He said that with the MoU, the groups would continue with the advocacy to ensure Nigeria has the best electoral law to guide elections management .

Also, the Executive Director, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Mr Oyebisi Oluseyi, said that the partnership fits well into the organisation’s mandate adding that it would explore ways to ensure support for subnational networks through capacity building and experience sharing.

According to Oluseyi, collaboration is the new currency on session ,so the MoU would help NGOs serve Nigerians better and amplify the three important values of trust ,accountability and transparency.

He said that people see NGOs as non-complaint group adding that the MoU would help in self regulations as well as complying to regulatory frameworks .

Oluseyi said that through this MoU ,the groups would continue to advocate for one ease of compliance for regulatory framework and to also ensure that members know what they need led to do.

He also urged Nigerians to go get their voter cards to vote for credible candidates that would help Nigeria to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).