Stakeholders from across Adamawa State came together for a town hall meeting themed “Building a Stronger Foundation, Exploring Synergies Between Judicial, Local Government, and Electoral Reform,” with a common goal: to chart a path for a more just and equitable state.
The event, which brought together CSOs, Adamawa State House of Assembly Members, policymakers, representatives from the Ministries of Justice and Local Government Affairs, and citizens, was a platform for open dialogue and collaboration.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Abdulhamid Modibbo, highlighted the challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy, including corruption, lack of transparency, and accountability.
He emphasized the need for reforms in key sectors to drive development.
Guest speaker Mallam Saad Adamu, Executive Director of the Center for Peace, Dialogue and Good Governance, called for reforms in electoral acts, local governments, and the judiciary to better reflect the needs of citizens.
Mr. Decland Desmond, a lecturer at Adamawa State University Mubi, and Mallam Tijjani Ubandoma, chairman of the Adamawa Coalition on Good Governance, both stressed the importance of proper implementation of any reforms that are documented.
On the issue of Electoral Reform where Concerns were raised about issues such as voter registration, nomination forms, candidate screening, and the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mallam Adamu called for an independent body to handle candidate screening to reduce the burden on INEC.
On Local Government Autonomy, Participants emphasized the need for full local government autonomy to empower them to better serve their communities.
Speaking on Judicial Reform, the Guest Speaker stressed the need for more efficient and accessible judiciary.
According to the stakeholders during the meeting, the policy reforms discussed at the town hall meeting will be presented to the Adamawa State House of Assembly for consideration.
Citizens were urged to track the progress of these reforms and advocate for their implementation.
The project is a collaboration between the Situation Room members in Adamawa State: Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment, Centre for Health and Development in Africa, Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative with the support of Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
It is a positive step towards a more just and equitable Adamawa State, and one that deserves the support of all stakeholders.