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BACKGROUND

The Centre for Change (CFC) was founded in July 2003 out of the growing concern that over four years of civil rule in Nigeria then has alienated the people from the democratic processes.
As against the classical concept of democracy as the Government of the people by the people and for the people, the Nigerian breed was increasingly becoming a Government of a cabal, by a clique and for the people.
The final nail on the coffin of participatory democracy in the country was the open manipulation of the processes and actual elections in 2003 which clearly showed that the peoples’ votes don’t count and may actually not be counted.
Before this marital rape of the right of the people to choose who should rule them there have been series of activities which snaked of impunity and outright disregard for the participatory principle of democratic governance. Whereas the constitution emphasizes accountability by the Government to the people through their elected representative, what we have in Nigeria is a situation where the elected representatives are either cowed through intimidation or pocketed by financial inducements.
The years of civil rule have obliterated the line of demarcation between military dictatorship and elected government as fiscal rascality has taken the place of fiscal discipline since the executive has no regard for the oversight function of the legislature., as a result the budgeting process has become a mere hollow ritual as the executive implement whatever suits it fancies.
There would have been succor in the judiciary if its place as the last hope of the common man had been preserved. But unfortunately we have seen systematic disregard for court rulings even that of the highest court in the land by the presidency.
This deliberate disregard for the rule of law and constitutionalism has further heightened the feeling of alienation by the people. Yet, devoid of popular participatory democracy is nothing but dictatorship and clear violation of the inalienable right of the people to determine how they are governed.
It is to arrest the situation and empower the people to fully participate in their own affairs that the Centre of Change was born to reawaken the culture of participatory democracy.</>

OBJECTIVES:

  • To press for the sanctity of democracy by sensitizing the people to make it difficult for politicians to impose themselves on the electorates.
  • To create check the culture of impunity that is fast taking over our political landscape.
  • To create awareness for the rule of law and constitutionalism.
  • To mobilize popular opinion against whims, caprices and rules of the thumb in governance.
  • To network with grassroots and popular organizations to enforce compliance with budgets from Local Governments to the National level.
  • To encourage the people to exercise the power of recall against any elected official who is not serving the interest of his/her electors.
  • To campaign for community participation in the running of schools, hospitals police and other services that have to do with day-to-day needs of the people.
  • To seek political empowerment for men and other vulnerable groups.
  • To work with other organizations on electoral reform to restore integrity to the ballot box in Nigeria.
  • To To support the struggle for true federalism in Nigeria so as to devolve power to more centers.

MISSION:

To use research, advocacy, lobby and positive actions to arouse the people to their responsibility of holding government at all levels accountable to democratic practices and strict adherence to the rule of law and constitutionalism.

VISION:

To challenge all limiting factors to popular participation in democracy governance.

GOAL:

To arouse Nigerian citizens to seize all constitutional means of participation in how they are governed.

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