By Patrick Odey
Five governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom State on Sunday signed the Open Governorship Manifesto to publicly symbolise their readiness to run an open government agenda, if elected.
They include the candidates of the New Nigeria People Party, James Akpanudoedehe; African Democratic Congress, Arch Nya-etok; the Young Progressives Party, Senator Bassey Albert; African Action Congress, Iboro Otu; and Action Democratic Party, Ekere Essien.
The manifesto, which was put together by Policy Alert, a non governmental Organisation committed to good governance and environmental sustainability was presented during the Akwa Ibom governorship debate which held on Sunday at Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom state Council.
It was aimed at committing the governorship candidates to implement the Open Governorship Partnership in the state as the baton of government will change hands in May 2023.
Speaking during the presentation, Senior Programme Officer of Policy Alert, Mfon Gabriel, said, “The OGP is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together reformers in and outside of government to create solutions that make government more transparent, accountable, participatory, technology-driven and inclusive.”
She added, “Nigeria signed on to the OGP in 2016 and so far, 25 states have signed on to the OGP, yet Akwa Ibom is one of the three states in the Niger Delta that has not yet signed on to the partnership.”
She said the signing of the Manifesto is part of an OpenGovTownHall series implemented by the Niger-Delta Open Government Observatory, a civil society cluster working to strengthen the uptake and implementation of OGP in the region.
NOGO is supported in six states of the Niger Delta by USAID Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement project implemented by Palladium.
“The project is led by Policy Alert in partnership with Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership Secretariat, Open Alliance, the Mail Newspaper, and The Roothub, among others.
Source: The Punch
