In Nigeria, political processes; especially during elections have shown a significant absence of issue driven campaigns and a lack of understanding and awareness of the value of policy dialogue, in facilitating election of political leaders based on policy focused manifestoes. This has resulted in political contests being driven by divisive tendencies rather than issues of national interest.  The consequence is that policy thrusts suffer from a lack of rigour and analysis, little consultation or ownership amongst stakeholders, ultimately resulting in sub-optimal mandates and weak governance.

The Governance and Institutions Policy Commission achieve its aim through:

Areas of Coverage
For the purpose of this, The Governance and Institutions Policy Commission has engaged to support and promote good governance initiative among the Political office holders at the State and Federal level to improve in governance for national development.  
The Policy Commission during NES identified critical issues needing urgent attention; they include Corporate Governance, Ethics and Value Orientation and Rebuilding Public Sector Institutions which little of this has been achieved by the Policy Commission during the April 14, 2007 election.  However the Policy Commission believed that a lot of this can be achieved in the direction of the recommendations made at NES#13

As part of the recommendations at the Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#12) the Governance and Rebuilding Institutions Policy Commission initiated the setting up of a Coalition of Private Sector Organizations NGO’s, CSOs , Faith-Based Organisations, Women’s/Youth Groups and Community Based Organisations, Media, Academia, Labour, Organised Private Sector and Government Agencies to:

Membership of the Coalition was open to organisations committed to its goal and objectives and presently implementing projects and programmes to promote responsive politics at all levels of government. Subsequently, the National  Steering Committee was inaugurated on February 21st 2007, and the group was named Coalition on Issues-Based Politics & Good Governance (CIPOGG).
Mobilisation of members/supporters started in earnest and individuals/organisations were advised to visit and complete applications forms on the interactive website: www.goodgovernancenigeria.org Invitation letters were also distributed to over 1, 000 other companies nation wide via emails.  We now have a total of 103 persons as supporters of the Coalition.

Launch of CIPOGG and Electoral Summits
There was an official launch of CIPOGG on Monday February 5, 2007. The objective of the launch was to unveil CIPOGG and sensitize the nation on the activities of the Coalition, especially in view of the current democratic processes to usher in a new government in May, 2007 through the ballot box.

At the end of the launch, it was recommended that the NESG Governance and Institution Policy Commission should, through the CIPOGG initiate, sustain and strengthen the relationship between the voters and the elected officials. This is in addition to serving as a watchdog over the campaign issues by politicians and ensuring they deliver on them; employing the use of recently published Voters Educational Manual as a tool for the sensitization of voters-recognizing that communication is a tool that should be effectively maximized; actively seeking the promotion of law in the nation, amongst the voters, the voted and every other interest group; and involving Trade Unions, Transport Unions, Workers Union in the membership of the Coalition.

CIPOGG Presidential Summit and Town Hall Meetings
The Presidential Summit, a CIPOGG programme was organized in collaboration with the Institute of Directors (IoD), to engage Presidential Candidates in an interactive dialogue to interface with stakeholders and communicate their manifestos on issues affecting the country, as well as to ascertain their awareness of and implementation strategy for those salient and pressing national issues raised in their manifestoes. It was held on Thursday, 29th March 2007 at Golden Gate Restaurant Ikoyi, Lagos. In attendance were Presidential candidates such as: Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu - Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Prof Patrick O. Utomi-African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Dr. Oladapo Agoro - National Action Council (NAC)

Town Hall meetings were organized in Anambra, Lagos and Rivers States.

Also the Coalition for Issues-based Politics and Good Governance (CIPOGG) Lagos State Level , under the platform of Governance and Institutions Policy Commission held a meeting with major CSO Networks and Coalitions in Lagos State to harmonize strategies for engaging the state Government.

The objectives were as follows:

Up coming event
A Policy Dialogue with the Theme: Ethical and Values Re-Orientation and Institutions Building in Nigeria, is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at the Muson Centre, Lagos by 9.00am.

The dialogue is aimed at ensuring that both the elected administration and the electorate understand policy processes and reform issues required for achieving good governance and institutions building in Nigeria.  It will also seek to improve Nigeria’s institutions in areas of transparency, accountability, responsiveness and broad-based consultation for national development, especially in view of the proposed Vision 2020 project.

The Lagos CIPOGG is planning a training programme on Civic Education to promote awareness understanding of the functions and responsibilities of the local government’s candidates and voters by encouraging citizens which will take place in 5 Local Governments with the following dates: 

LEADERSHIP TEAM OF THE COMMISSION:
1.      Chief Phillip C. Asiodu CON, Chairman 
2.      Prof. Daniel Omoweh, Consultant
3 .     Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, Facilitator

Reports on Governance and Institution Building  Policy Commission:
- Interactive Summit with Presidential Candidates
- State Level Town Hall Meeting & Gubernatorial  Interactive Summit

	Lagos Town Hall Meeting with Gubernatorial Candidates
	Anambra State Awka, Town Halll Meeting and Gubernatorial Interactive Summit
	A town Hall Meeting for Governorship Candidates in Rivers State, Port Harcourt