By Michael Oche
A civil society organisation, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), has called on Nigeria to take deliberate steps to safeguard its democratic space, drawing lessons from the ongoing presidential election in the Republic of Benin.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by its Executive Director Faith Nwadishi, CTA said developments in Benin’s electoral process highlight critical concerns about the balance between political inclusion and competition, warning that electoral systems not only determine winners but also shape who gets to participate.
The group noted that while Benin operates a two-round majority system requiring candidates to secure over 50 per cent of valid votes, the current presidential race has effectively been narrowed to just two contenders.
This, it explained, follows the inability of key opposition figures to meet statutory endorsement requirements from elected officials such as parliamentarians and mayors.
According to CTA, this situation underscores a deeper structural issue within electoral frameworks, where procedural thresholds may inadvertently limit political participation and weaken pluralism.
Despite this, the organisation acknowledged progress in gender inclusion in Benin, citing the introduction of reserved parliamentary seats for women, which has led to 28 out of 109 seats being occupied by women.
It also pointed to the presence of Vice President Mariam Chabi Talata on the presidential ticket as a sign of increased female visibility in leadership.
However, CTA cautioned that these gains are occurring alongside a shrinking political space, raising concerns about the broader health of democratic competition in the country.
It further noted that recent constitutional and electoral reforms, including proposals to extend presidential tenure, could have long-term implications for accountability and the concentration of power.
Drawing parallels with Nigeria, the organisation said that although the country currently enjoys a more competitive political environment, emerging trends, particularly the growing wave of defections to the ruling party, pose risks of gradual power consolidation if left unchecked.
“Democratic credibility rests on three non-negotiable pillars: inclusion, competition and accountability,” the statement said, adding that while inclusion can be achieved through deliberate policies, it must not come at the expense of political plurality.
CTA stressed that Nigeria’s experience also shows that competition alone does not automatically guarantee inclusion, warning that sustained political realignments could erode the country’s democratic space over time.
The group urged Nigeria to adopt targeted reforms aimed at strengthening its democracy, including improving women’s political representation through enforceable quotas, protecting political space to ensure broad participation, and promoting internal party democracy.
It also called for balanced governance reforms that would enhance accountability while supporting effective leadership.
