Rafsanjani Urges Nigerians to Stop Demarketing Country Abroad

Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, has urged Nigerians to avoid portraying the country negatively on the international stage.Speaking on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series in Abuja on Sunday, Rafsanjani stressed the distinction between critiquing government policies and undermining national interest.

“There is a difference between disagreeing with leaders and attacking your country. When you destroy your country’s image, you are invariably injuring yourself,” he said.

He warned that calls for international sanctions, often stemming from dissatisfaction with governance, tend to hurt ordinary citizens more than political leaders, as sanctions primarily affect the economy and public services. Rafsanjani highlighted that transparent, credible elections remain the most effective way for citizens to remove unpopular leaders at local, state, and national levels.

He called for stronger collaboration between civil society organisations, the media, and democratic institutions to promote voter education, responsible discourse, and peaceful electoral participation. According to him, CSOs have consistently played a vital role in educating Nigerians about the dangers of electoral violence, fraud, and the importance of following due process throughout the electoral cycle.

Rafsanjani also noted that CSOs have invested in capacity-building initiatives targeting women and youth, collaborated with security agencies on election management, and engaged political parties to enhance voter awareness. However, he expressed concern that political parties often fail to educate their supporters effectively, leaving CSOs to fill the gap.

“The work of civil society in Nigeria since 1999 has been indispensable in promoting civic education and democratic participation despite limited resources,” he said.

(NAN)