Day Two of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Annual General Meeting focused on strengthening the Church’s commitment to civic engagement, democratic participation, and credible elections ahead of the 2027 General Elections. Delivering the opening address, the Episcopal Chair of the Department of Church and Society, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, challenged participants to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in election observation. He reminded them that the credibility of the electoral process depends on observers who remain impartial, objective, and faithful to their mandate, while calling on JDPC Directors to intensify voter sensitization efforts, tackle voter apathy, and encourage citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
In a welcoming remark, the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria praised the dedication of diocesan JDPC offices across the country and urged participants to strengthen civic education through parish structures, emphasizing that the Church has a moral duty to promote human dignity, the common good, and active citizenship. Giving opening remarks as well, the Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria and Director of the Department of Church and Society, Fr. Peter Audu, encouraged participants to stay focused on the principles of the Common Good, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity as guiding pillars for fostering justice, peace, and inclusive development.
The AGM also received goodwill messages from partner organizations—including CAFOD and Catholic Relief Services—along with Church partners such as the National Director of Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and the Secretary of the CSN Migrants and Refugees Unit. They reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in advancing democratic governance, pledging continued support for initiatives that strengthen democratic institutions, empower citizens, and foster national unity.
The day featured a series of insightful presentations exploring the Church’s role in Nigeria’s democratic journey. Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo MSP, Rector of St. Paul’s Major Seminary Gwagwalada, delivered a keynote address on the theme “Towards the 2027 Elections: The Imperatives of JDPC Participation and Civic Engagement,” highlighting the urgency of increasing civic participation amidst declining voter turnout, low youth involvement, and limited awareness of electoral reforms. Mr. Joseph Nkamuke, Good Governance/JDPC Lead, presented on the role of JDPC Directors in election observation and voter mobilization, identifying warning signs of democratic decline such as the misuse of state institutions, commercialization of politics, and threats to electoral integrity. Participants further examined strategies for hyper-targeted voter literacy, parish-based mobilization, election observation, accountability, and the deployment of digital tools for real-time election reporting.
Day Three of the AGM commenced with a recap of the previous day’s sessions before transitioning into a practical technical session on “Understanding VoteGuard as a Tool for Election Observation.” Facilitated by Caritas Nigeria’s Health Informatics Senior Advisor, Tega Ekoh, alongside Senior Manager of Health Informatics, Emmanuel Vegher, participants received hands-on training on the functionality and deployment of the VoteGuard platform across their respective dioceses. This highly interactive session enabled participants to ask questions, share insights from past observation missions, and refine strategies for local platform deployment. Through these combined initiatives, Caritas Nigeria and the JDPC remain firmly committed to promoting good governance, strengthening civic participation, and enhancing electoral integrity through credible, informed, and coordinated election observation efforts.
