Catholic Bishops warn against electoral manipulation, declining democracy

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has raised alarm over what it described as the steady decline of democracy in Nigeria, warning against electoral malpractice and manipulation of state institutions.

In a communiqué issued in Abuja after its plenary meeting at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the bishops accused governments at all levels of seeking to “win at all costs,” allegedly through the misuse of institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the judiciary.

“In our nation, governments in power usually have their own candidates in the election and therefore are parties in the contest and are thus technically not impartial,” the bishops stated.

They lamented widespread electoral malpractice and declining voter turnout, citing INEC data showing that only 23 per cent of registered voters participated in the 2023 general elections and just seven per cent in recent FCT polls.

The bishops described bad leadership and a wrong conception of politics as the major causes of Nigeria’s socio-economic woes, saying the country’s worsening economy, insecurity and poverty were symptoms of systemic damage.

On the economy, they decried illegal mining and oil bunkering, warning that trillions of naira were lost annually and alleging that proceeds from minerals such as gold and lithium were funding criminal activities.

They called for the deployment of drone technology and artificial intelligence to monitor mining sites, and urged the government to prioritise support for local farmers instead of continued food importation.

Framing their message around the theme of the common good, the bishops stressed that effective leadership must prioritise national interest over sectional or selfish gains.