The National Association of Liberated Tigers has urged African nations to explore the true tenets of democracy to overcome the shortcomings of regular elections.

NALT’s president, Obinna Amoke, said this in a post-convention statement on Tuesday.

Mr Amoke described Nigeria as one of the most “politically challenged” nations in the world, with high indices of abuse of incumbency powers and corruption. He said the country also faced the challenges of rising  poverty levels and religious intolerance.

He said democracy also presented opportunities for developing countries to address inequalities, adding that, unfortunately, this dream had not materialised in many instances.

Obi Nweze, one of the founding fathers of the organisation, admonished its members to always remain faithful to the ideals of the group, including helping the needy. He said that every chapter had been mandated to publish its statement of account every two months, adding that the position of zonal representatives had been abolished to enhance efficiency in its operations.

Chukwuemeka Eze, the director of Democratic Futures in Africa at the Open Society Foundations, said in a keynote that social justice remains the lifeblood of democracy. Mr Eze’s keynote had as its title ‘Social Movement, Social Justice and the Future of Democracy: The Role of NALT Club in the Reimagination of Democratic Ethos’.

He cautioned against the country sliding into a one-party state and charged NALT members to always advocate a robust space that allows for the expression of interests and options.

(NAN)