The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been urged to shun partisanship to enable them create a healthy tension for political office holders to feel accountable to the citizens.
The Chief of Party, Chemonics and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Charles Abani, observed that several politicians in Nigeria do not have, or feel any sense of accountability because the CSOs, which should have kept them on check, have lost the focus and the political neutrality for selfish and monetary interests.
Abani spoke in Port Harcourt Wednesday during a three-day capacity-building workshop for civil society organisations under the Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement Project (Sace).
The Sace project is a five-year $19.2 million programme funded by USAID and the Foundation for Initiatives in Niger Delta (PIND) and it is implemented by Chemonics International.
The USAID chief of party said: “From 2015 to where we are today, the civil societies have become too partisan. So, the best way to achieve result is to step away from partisanship, stand up for the values that come from the communities they work and that is the only way to get better transparency and accountability from those who are elected into office.”
In the same vein, representative of PIND, Chuks Ofulue, said for the CSOs to achieve the set objectives, they should remain stable and avoid being fluidity like politicians.He said: “Civil society groups should remain focused to the course for which they are set to do.
They cannot be as fluid as the politicians who do not have focus, as they fly from one party to another everyday. The CSOs can have political affiliations but should not be politicised. They should be steadfast and focus and if they push into the politicians too much, they loose it.
