Ahead of its 2016 Citizens Summit and Advocacy Campaign on Tuesday, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has called on residents of Kwara State to promote good governance by holding elected leaders accountable.

The Chairman of the association in Kwara, Mr John Agboola, made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ilorin.

He said recent events in the country had made it imperative for broader citizen participation in the affairs of the country if Nigerians must reap their investment in the last elections.

Agboola said citizens must not only freely exercise their collective right to choose their leaders, they must also ensure that elected politicians fulfil all aspects of their campaign promises.

He said the state branch of the association, as part of a worldwide body also known as Pyrates Confraternity, would embark on an advocacy campaign to educate Nigerians on how to make their votes count. "The idea of our campaign is to educate Nigerians on how to make our votes count beyond elections.

"We want to tell Nigerians to join hands to build and develop our beloved country," he said. The association, he said, would also embark on a road show hinged on the campaign's theme: "Public Accountability and Citizens Participation in Governance."

"We are mindful of the fact that politicians could be touchy on issues of accountability. "But it is even more crucial that we reach out to the citizens that they may take up the gauntlet in the fight for good governance.

"There is no doubt that the citizens have been short changed over the years in terms of campaign promises and its deliveries. "We want people to know that governments belong to the people; governmental processes belong to the people; and elections belong to the people.

"There is no democracy without the engagement of citizens. "Engagement is thus both a right and a responsibility of citizens in establishing, developing and sustaining democracy.

"For democracy to deliver, citizens must become informed about issues that can improve their lives and they must make concerted efforts to see that government responds to their views. "That is the way to hold those in government accountable. This is the import of our present effort," Agboola said.