On Sunday, five governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom State signed the Open Governorship Manifesto, publicly demonstrating their commitment to an open government agenda if elected. The candidates include James Akpanudoedehe from the New Nigeria People Party, Arch Nya-etok from the African Democratic Congress, Senator Bassey Albert from the Young Progressives Party, Iboro Otu from the African Action Congress, and Ekere Essien from the Action Democratic Party. This manifesto was developed by Policy Alert, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting good governance and environmental sustainability. The presentation took place during the Akwa Ibom governorship debate at the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council. The initiative aims to commit the candidates to implement the Open Governorship Partnership in the state, especially as the transition of government is set to occur in May 2023.
During the presentation, Mfon Gabriel, Senior Programme Officer of Policy Alert, explained that the Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that unites reformers both within and outside of government to develop solutions that enhance transparency, accountability, participation, technology integration, and inclusivity in governance. She noted that Nigeria joined the OGP in 2016, and to date, 25 states have signed on to the initiative. However, Akwa Ibom remains one of three states in the Niger Delta that has yet to join the partnership.
Gabriel further emphasized that the signing of the manifesto is part of the OpenGovTownHall series, which is implemented by the Niger-Delta Open Government Observatory, a civil society cluster focused on promoting the adoption and implementation of the OGP in the region. This initiative is supported in six Niger Delta states by the USAID Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement project, which is managed by Palladium. The project is led by Policy Alert in collaboration with Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership Secretariat, Open Alliance, the Mail Newspaper, and The Roothub, among other partners.
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