On behalf of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), I welcome you to this urgent and consequential State of the Nation briefing. We are deeply honoured to host our long-standing partners from Misereor e.V Germany—Mrs. Hannelore Henn-Sories and Mrs. Julia Krojer—whose unwavering solidarity continues to inspire and strengthen our collective resolve to build a Nigeria rooted in justice, inclusion, and accountability.

Today, we do not gather merely to speak. We gather to act. To confront the deepening crises that threaten the very soul of our democracy, destabilize our economy, and endanger the lives of our mothers, fathers, and children. This is not a routine press conference. It is a national call to conscience. A moment that demands truth, courage, and transformation.

Political Landscape: A Democracy in Retreat
Nigeria’s democratic experiment is under siege. The space for political expression, dissent, and pluralism is shrinking at an alarming rate. The recent wave of defections by opposition governors and lawmakers to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections is not a coincidence—it is a calculated and coordinated assault on the foundational principle of political pluralism. It is a betrayal of the democratic mandate entrusted to these officials by the people.

Even more disturbing are widespread media allegations suggesting that these defections are being engineered through inducements and bribery. The silence of the government in the face of such grave accusations is not neutrality—it is complicity. When those in power refuse to speak out against corruption, they become enablers of it.

Equally troubling are revelations that lawmakers allegedly pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million to present motions and bills in the National Assembly. These allegations, which remain unchallenged by the leadership of both chambers, expose a corrosive culture of transactional politics that undermines legislative integrity and erodes public trust in our democratic institutions.

Adding to this troubling picture is the recent claim by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, who stated on national television that aides in the Presidential Villa demand bribes before granting access to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The presidency has yet to respond to this serious allegation, further deepening the perception of a government disconnected from the principles of transparency and accountability.

CHRICED demands immediate, independent, and transparent investigations into these allegations. Democracy cannot thrive where corruption is normalized, and accountability is absent. We must restore the sanctity of our institutions and the dignity of our democratic process.

Economic Realities: Borrowing Without Vision, Youth Without Hope
Despite official claims of Naira stabilization and a drop in inflation to 18.02%, these macroeconomic indicators have brought little or no relief to the average Nigerian. Millions of citizens continue to grapple with deepening poverty, rising food prices, and economic despair. The removal of fuel subsidies, hikes in electricity tariffs, and the imposition of multiple layers of taxation have pushed countless families to the brink of survival.

Rather than articulating and implementing a coherent, people-centred economic recovery plan, the federal government continues to borrow recklessly—both domestically and internationally—mortgaging the future of generations yet unborn. Even with claims of having met the 2025 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target as early as August, the borrowing spree continues unabated, compounding the economic strain on citizens and raising serious questions about fiscal discipline and strategic planning.

CHRICED calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt this unsustainable borrowing trajectory. The solution to our economic woes lies not in piling up debt, but in creating jobs, investing in local industries, and empowering our youth. When young people are unemployed, underemployed, and hopeless, crime becomes a refuge. The rising tide of armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and cybercrime is not a coincidence—it is a symptom of systemic neglect and policy failure.

Nigeria must invest in its people—not just in infrastructure, but in opportunity. We must build an economy that works for the many, not the privileged few.

Insecurity: A Nation Under Siege
From Zamfara to Plateau, Kaduna to the FCT, Anambra to Edo, Rivers to Lagos—Nigerians live in fear. Banditry, terrorism, ritual killings, and communal violence have become normalized. Farmers cannot access their lands. Children cannot attend school. Investors are fleeing. The promise of safety and security has become a distant memory for millions.

This grim reality was underscored by the recent abduction of six directors from the Ministry of Defence in Kogi State, with kidnappers reportedly demanding a ransom of ₦150 million. Even more alarming is the reported threat of a U.S. military intervention due to Nigeria’s persistent security lapses—a stark indicator of how far our nation has fallen in the eyes of the international community.

The government’s response to this crisis has been tepid at best, complicit at worst. Security is not a privilege—it is a constitutional right. A nation that cannot protect its citizens cannot legitimately claim authority. CHRICED therefore urges the federal government to urgently overhaul its security architecture, invest in intelligence gathering, and prioritize the protection of lives over political survival.

Health Sector: A System on the Brink
The crisis of insecurity is mirrored in our collapsing health sector. Government spending on health remains woefully inadequate—just about 5% of the national budget, far below the 15% target set by the Abuja Declaration. Even more troubling is the fact that only 36% of the capital health budget was actually released, severely limiting investment in hospitals, equipment, and essential infrastructure.

As a result, most Nigerians continue to pay out-of-pocket for healthcare, with individuals accounting for roughly 75% of total health spending. Enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme remains abysmally low, leaving millions without access to basic medical care.

Compounding this crisis is the ongoing nationwide doctors’ strike, which has pushed the healthcare system to the brink of collapse. Patients are being turned away. Lives are being lost. The system is failing those who need it most.

CHRICED’s Interventions: Proof That Change Is Possible
Amid these daunting challenges, CHRICED’s interventions in the health sector demonstrate that change is not only possible—it is already happening. In Kano State, through our project on the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare (FMCH) Law, supported by our partners, Misereor/KZE, we have:
• Developed a costed action plan to guide implementation.
• Trained civil society actors, media professionals, and community monitors to ensure accountability.
• Launched multilingual radio campaigns to educate and mobilize citizens.
• Distributed 4,000 simplified Hausa and English copies of the FMCH Law across all 44 local government areas.
• Convened enlightenment workshops, town halls, and statewide consultative meetings to connect citizens with duty bearers.

These are not abstract policy exercises. They are saving lives. They are empowering communities. They are restoring faith in public institutions. Every mother who survives childbirth, every child who receives care, is a living testament to what targeted, accountable action can achieve.

Advocacy for Indigenous FCT Communities: Justice Long Denied
CHRICED continues to demand justice for the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory—whose ancestral lands were appropriated for the relocation of the federal capital. Decades later, they remain landless, economically marginalized, culturally erased, and politically excluded.

This is a constitutional anomaly that must be corrected. No community should be invisible in a democracy. Their voices must be heard. Their rights must be respected. Their dignity must be restored.

Sustained Civic Engagement: The Power of Voice
CHRICED will not be silent. Through press briefings, civic education, coalition-building, international advocacy, and grassroots mobilization, we will continue to challenge corruption, demand transparency, and amplify the voices of the marginalized.

We urge the media to remain vigilant and fearless in holding power to account. Silence is complicity. Engagement is resistance.

Conclusion: A Call to Conscience and Collective Resolve
Nigeria stands at a crossroads—between the despair of dysfunction and the promise of renewal. The choices we make today will echo across generations. We must ask ourselves: What kind of nation do we want to be? One where corruption is routine, where mothers die giving life, where youth are abandoned to crime and hopelessness? Or a nation that protects its most vulnerable, uplifts its citizens, and honours the principles of justice, equity, and democracy?

This is not just a political moment—it is a moral reckoning. We must summon the courage to confront the forces that seek to silence dissent, normalize impunity, and erode our collective dignity. We must reject the politics of patronage and embrace the politics of purpose.

CHRICED calls on every Nigerian—civil society actors, journalists, faith leaders, traditional rulers, business owners, and ordinary citizens—to rise above apathy and fear. Let us reclaim our democracy from the grip of corruption. Let us rebuild our economy on the foundation of productivity and inclusion. Let us restore dignity to every citizen, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, or social status.

To the international community, we say: stand with us—not just in words, but in action. Support grassroots movements. Demand accountability from those in power. Invest in people, not just policies.

To our youth: you are not the problem—you are the solution. Your energy, creativity, and resilience are Nigeria’s greatest assets. Do not be discouraged. Organize, Mobilize, and Lead.

And to our political rulers, we say: it is time to rethink the path of endless borrowing. As the old saying goes, “He who goes borrowing, goes sorrowing.” Debt without direction is a burden on generations unborn. Let us invest in jobs, not just loans. Let us build industries, not just deficits. Let us create hope, not just handouts.

Let us rise—not in despair, but in determination. Let us act—not in anger, but in hope. Let us build—not for today, but for the Nigeria our children deserve.

The time is now. The responsibility is ours. The future is possible.

Long live CHRICED, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.