2027: CSOs to drill candidates capacity to lead, declare war on 2027 poll looters

…Says: professional destitute’s won’t have their way to power

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — Ahead of the 2027 general elections, civil society organizations (CSOs) under the umbrella of the Civil Society Organization on Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (CSCHEI) have said they will organize debates for political aspirants to gauge their preparedness for the positions they will be contesting.

This is as the CSOs have said there will be no chance for the people they described as political destitutes to hijack the helm of power in 2027.

The CSOs also said they have opened talks with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with a view to grilling prospective candidates on their manifestos and areas of developmental initiatives for citizens.

Speaking to journalists after the inauguration of the National Committee of Civil Society Organizations Summit Committee in Abuja, the Director-General of CSCHEI, Hon. Kunle Yusuff, described the event as pivotal, aimed at harnessing the collective strengths of CSOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Nigeria to drive national development.

Yusuff unveiled the “Nigeria First” platform as civil society’s ironclad mandate. “Our job is to hold government accountable, champion justice, equity, fairness, and good governance,” he stated.

Accredited by INEC as election observers, CSCHEI’s DG said the CSOs will spearhead voter education, advocacy, and unprecedented debates from presidential to local government levels.

“We want to know our candidates’ capacity in governance, integrity, and rapport with the people,” Yusuff declared.

“Nigerians deserve to scrutinize the aspirants’ credibility before they even become candidates.”

The summit pledged to organize open debates where aspirants must defend their manifestos against the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, financing, and true developmental values.

While inaugurating the committee, Yusuff posited that CSOs are going beyond mere election observers to engaging the candidates, so as to enable the electorate to make informed decisions.

He said gone were the days when professional destitutes are elected to fill leadership positions, eroding democratic gains for the people.

“As CSOs, our mandate is simple: to hold government accountable for food security, fairness, and good governance. By 2027, the CSOs will be accredited by INEC to be election observers.

“For the first time, CSOs will come together to assist INEC with voter education, advocacy, and organizing debates from national to local government levels because we want to know our candidates. We want to know their capability in governance, their integrity, and their relationship with the people.

“It is a platform that will be open to Nigerians, so candidates from presidential to governorship and local government areas will tell us about their manifestos, especially how they relate to the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and financing,” the Executive Director of CSCHEI revealed.

He explained that the proposed Civil Society Organizations Summit 2026, to be organized by CSCHEI—which is recognized by the United Nations to coordinate activities of CSOs—will harness the collective strength of CSOs and CBOs in Nigeria to drive national development.

According to Yusuff, there are about 60,000 non-governmental organizations in Nigeria, comprising community-based organizations and faith-based organizations, all working to provide oversight to the government and make dividends of governance trickle down to the people.

Dismissing smears of political sponsorship, Yusuff highlighted the sector’s independence: over 60,000 registered NGOs/CSOs/CBOs, with 25,000 operational and 70,500 accredited. CSCHEI oversees 3,500 vetted allies across 26 states and 460 of 774 local governments.

“Zero political motivation. We’re self-funded patriots driving national development and good governance.”

On a proposed visit to President Bola Tinubu, Yusuff praised the administration’s climate focus—six appointees marking Nigeria’s global spotlight on sustainable development and climate action, a first in history. “This aligns with our global mandate,” he affirmed.

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