Civil society comprised of groups or organizations working in the interest of the citizens but operating outside of the governmental and for-profit sectors.
The recent activities of the groups in Nigeria have questioned the civil nature of the groups as many have allowed themselves to be used by both the government in power and the opposition parties to achieve selfish aims to the detriment of the common man. -Civil groups in Nigeria-
These activities have raised so many questions yet to be answered as many of them are seen as political tools and have been referred to as stooge to politicians.
It is however not good for democracy as they are meant to play important role in advocating the public’s rights and wishes of the people and enhance transparency and good governance by holding the government accountable.
The singling out of a particular candidate for tax payment review is questionable as the act could imply witch-hunting of a particular party or candidate and leaving others.
The dragging of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) before a federal High Court Abuja by Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) which is a civil society group over the release of the tax receipt of Peoples Democratic Party Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is one of the reasons why people have continued to ask how civil the group is.
The request is a good one but restricted to a particular candidate is however suspicious as many have labeled the group a tool to the ruling party.
In the past we have seen irrelevant protest by different groups which are not beneficiary to the people.
It is indeed time for the groups to wake up and leave up to the expectation of the common masses and not to satisfy different political parties as they are civil groups and not political groups.
great