FOR THE RECORD: Resolution for Civic Space Monitoring By NDEBUMOG

By Admin / Posted August 29, 2025

COMMUNIQUE ADOPTED AT THE END OF A ONE- DAY STRENGTHENING OF CIVIC SPACE MONITORING HUBS EVENT, ORGANIZED BY NDEBUMOG IN UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2025.

INTRODUCTION:
A one-day event to strengthen Nigeria’s Civic Space Protection Alliance (NCSPA) Human Rights Monitoring Hubs (HR-MHs) was organized by the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG), with support from Oxdam, The event took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Tuesday 5th of August, 2025.

Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com

PARTICIPANTS:
Participants were drawn from leaders and members of the Nigerian Civic Space Protection Alliance (NCSPA), Women Shadow Budget Groups, traditional institutions, civil society, communities’ associations and grassroots stakeholders.

TECHNICAL SESSION/PRESENTATIONS:
There were technical presentations through faculty moderation by NDEBUMOG’s Think-Tank, with a robust discussion, critical appraisal, review and analyzation of Nigeria’s Civic Space, which, brought up concerns and observations below.

CONCERNS AND OBSERVATIONS:
• That, although, civic space is recognized as the environmental oxygen that guides civilized society, such, also enables citizens and civil society to organize, participate, assembles and communicate freely, Regrettably, the space has withered, with a sense of unpredictability and fear of the unknown, due to insecurity and poor civil tolerance.

• That, authorities, often, harp on insecurity to trample on the rights of citizens, especially, on freedom of expression, free movement and peaceful assembly, among others. Whilst many citizens have surrendered to fate for fear of intimidation, victimization and even for fear causal fatalities,

• Intolerance to voices of dissent is becoming worrisome. Citizens, should not be subjected to direct/indirect forms of intimidation or victimization for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights.
.
• Although, the legislature at all levels, have a duty to protect citizens’ rights and civic space, it has not lived up to this duty. Lawmakers, have continued to watch the civic space shrinks steadily in Nigeria. Some, even encourage the use of their duties and privileges to encourage violation of human rights.

Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com

RECOMMENDATIONS/ WAY FORWARD:

From the foregoing, we recommend as follows:

1. Recognized that, the government, have a duty to promote and protect civic space for sustainability of democracy. We call on the government at all levels to begin to create enabling environment for citizens to breathe and exercise their democratic freedom. Government and state operators, should prioritize citizens’ rights/civic space protection in their agenda, policies and actions.
2. Law makers at all levels, should wake up to their primary responsibilities of protecting citizens’ rights for an enduring civic space, using oversight functions, legislative duties and official privileges. Democracy cannot be adjudged to be popular, if fundamentals of civic space and democratic freedom are wobbling.
3. Citizens are encouraged not to relent in advocating for basic rights, principles and fundamentals in a democracy.
4. Authorities, should ensure that incidents of civic space suppression are properly investigated and state actors found culpable, should be brought to book.
5. As the build up to Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections gathers steam, we urge politicians to be mindful of their actions. As no future’s political restitution can replace blood of innocent citizens. There is a difference between participatory democracy and democracy by subjugation.
6. Members of Nigeria’s armed forces, should see democracy as irreplaceable and should not be tempted to contemplate a truncation. There is no alternative to democracy! The armed forces, should promote and protect our civic space and mutual democratic harmony at all times. We thank them for their services to our nation.
7. Members of Nigeria Civic Space Protection Alliance and leaders of human rights monitoring hubs, should not fail in their responsibilities to monitor and observe civic space values, tenets and democratic etiquettes’ that will sustain our democracy and encourage participation and inclusion of all citizens.

Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com

COMMENDATIONS:

• Participants commended NDEBUMOG and OXFAM for organizing the event. They further commended Oxfam and her partners, through the FAIR for ALL program for their collaborations with grassroots organizations, women’s groups, and CSOs to defend and expand civic space.

• Participants commended NDEBUMOG for creating civic space monitoring hubs and encouraged citizens to key into activities of these hubs

• The Organizers thanked participants for their commitment and charged them to be civic space and democracy protectors across their localities, while at the same time, advocating for good governance.

Signed:

Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com

ESTHER Joseph David- Member, NCSPA/ABAK Shadow Budget Group
EKAETTE Simon Akpan-Member, NCSPA/Uyo Shadow Budget Group
PASTOR Ikakke Willie-Member, Nigeria Civic Space Protection Alliance
EDIDIONG Wilson, Member, NCSPA/Nsit Ubium Shadow Budget Group
ROSANNA Bright, Member, Nigeria Civic Space Protection Alliance (NCSPA).

Adopted in Uyo on Tuesday 5th of August, 2025.