Democracy Day: CSO Calls for State of Emergency Amid Security Crisis, Urges Tinubu

The Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), a civil society organisation, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over Nigeria’s escalating security crisis.

CHRAN urged the president to collaborate with the 36 state governors and members of the National Assembly to establish State Police and National Forest Guards across the country.

Otuekong Franklyn Isong, the Akwa Ibom State director of CHRAN, made the appeal during the organisation’s Annual Public Lecture on June 12, which marked Democracy Day 2026. The lecture, themed “The Dangers of Vote Selling in a Democracy,” highlighted incidents of school abductions in Borno and Oyo States and called for the immediate release of abducted students and teachers.

Isong stated, “The Centre urges the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to declare a state of emergency in the security situation facing the federation as a matter of urgent public importance.”

He added, “CHRAN calls for the overhauling and decentralisation of the security architecture of the federation to give more powers to the sub‑national governments.”

The director also urged citizens to cooperate with security agencies, emphasising that security is a shared responsibility.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of some local government councils, Isong asked chairmen to complement state government efforts by launching people‑oriented projects.

Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, he urged the political class to conduct campaigns with decorum and responsibility, and appealed to voters to exercise their democratic rights from personal conviction rather than inducement.

Prof. Enefiok Essien, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo and keynote speaker, condemned the prevalence of vote trading, describing it as harmful to democracy and good governance. He warned that every Nigerian must be sensitised to their civic duty to protect democracy by rejecting vote selling.

Essien noted that poverty fuels vote selling and called on governments at all levels to diversify the economy and create more employment opportunities to reduce poverty. He urged security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt deliberate measures to curb vote trading.

“It is for INEC to ensure that voting cubicles are kept away from the public so that it will be difficult for vote buyers or their agents to see how voters thumbprint the ballot papers. Mobile phones should not be allowed inside the voting cubicle to prevent the photographing of thumb‑printed ballot papers, which the vote seller normally shows to the buyer (or his agent) as evidence of how or for whom he voted,” Essien said.

Dr. Udeme Nana reflected on the free, fair and transparent June 12, 1993 elections, urging the political class and electorate to emulate those principles in the 2027 polls. He said, “June 12 brought a seismic change in the democratic culture of most Nigerians. It was the day when Nigerian voters stopped for a moment, blocked their ears, ignored and refused to dance to the drumbeats of Nigeria’s diverse tribes and tongues to go out and vote for a popular candidate of their choice. Nigerians voted proudly, massively. It was a day nobody bought or sold a vote.”

“As we draw closer to yet another nationwide election, let us reflect on that missed opportunity and resolve to re‑enact the political conduct exhibited by Nigerians on June 12 1993. On that date, even incumbent governors lost in their own states. In this state, the sitting governor, the late Obong Akpan Isemin, was a member of the National Republican Congress (NRC), but the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of the late Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola won with a large margin,” he added.