Clement Nwankwo

In 2006, Nwankwo was vocal in his criticism of Nigerian legislature when it attempted to amend the constitution to extent presidential terms of office from two to three. President Olusegun Obasanjo was suspected of inducing legislators to amend the constitution to extend his term in office as he drew near the end of his second and final term in office. In 2017, Nwankwo said lack of laws is not the challenge against free, fair and credible election in Nigeria but lack of electoral accountability. In February 2019, Nwankwo said foreign and local observers monitoring 2019 elections were in danger after Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State said foreign observers who meddle in the 2019 elections would return to their countries in “body bags” while appearing on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) program on February 5, 2019. Nwanko criticised the governor for such undemocratic statement and called on Nigerian government to take immediate action to protect election observers. But the following day, Governor El Rufai said his statement was not a call to violence.

On 9 March 2019, Nwankwo on a live Channels Television program criticised Nigerian military involvement in elections saying it was dangerous to Nigeria democracy. He complained that if the military could not take instructions from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while on election security operation it should stop its involvement in election. He said the military was trying to recreate in a democracy what it did in its 13 years of brutal dictatorship that ended in 1999. Nwankwo then called on Nigerian legislature to introduce new clause to the constitution to stop military involvement in elections if the Nigeria democracy was to survive.

Nwankwo started democracy and good governance activism during the dark days of military dictatorship in Nigeria. After the establishment of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1998, in preparation for conduct of elections to return Nigeria to civil rule, Nwankwo founded Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of over 50 associations, groups and organizations that worked for a successful return of  civil rule in Nigeria.

Nwankwo  received Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders by Amnesty International Huridocs and International Alert, (1996). He  received twice, Human Rights Monitors Award by Human Rights Watch, New York, USA, (1989 & 1998) and  Democracy Award, by National Endowment for Democracy, U.S.A, (1999)

Co-author, The Bail Process & Human Rights in Nigeria, CRP, (1992); Co-author, Human Rights Practices in the Nigerian Police, CRP, (1993); Co-author, The Crisis of Press Freedom in Nigeria, CRP, (1993); Co-author, Nigeria: The Limits of Justice, CRP, (1993); Co-author, The Press & Dictatorship In Nigeria, CRP, (1994); Guide to Human Rights Litigation in Nigeria, CRP, (1994)

Nwankwo, a member of Nigerian Bar Association is Executive Director, Constitutional Rights Project from 1990 to date. He is a cofounder and first National Secretary/Executive Director, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) 1987-1990. Nwankwo is a Member, Academic Council on the United Nations Systems; member, International Board of Human Rights Internet, Canada; member, International NGO Advisory Committee, Harvard Institute for International Development, Harvard University, Boston, USA. Nwankwo was a Fellow, Ashoka Innovators for the Public (1991). He is Editor-in-Chief, Constitutional Rights Journal, 1990 to date.

Nwankwo was one of the human rights activists who founded Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) in 1987, whose focus was investigation of human rights violations, offer legal assistance to victims and to create awareness of rights. In 1990, Nwankwo left the CLO and founded another non-profit organization (NGO), the Constitutional Rights Project (CRP), which monitors Nigeria's law and government's actions regarding international agreements and human rights, assists victims with legal assistance, conducts research, opinion formation and more. The CRP was one of the strongest human rights voices under Sani Abacha's military rule in the mid-1990s, a time when several leading activists were imprisoned, tortured, and in some cases executed. In 2002, Nwankwo handed over the leadership of CRP but continued as a board member.

In 1979, Nwankwo served as a Clerical Officer, Bank of Credit & Commerce International Limited (BCCI), Lagos, between  1979 and 1980. After his call to Bar in 1985, Nwankwo went for the Nigeria’s one year mandatory National Youth Service Corp ( NYSC) and was deployed to Legal Aid Council as a Counsel, at Ijebu-Ode, Lagos (1985-1986).

Clement Okechukwu Nwankwo born (May 9, 1962) is a Nigerian lawyer, human rights and prodemocracy activist advocating for good governance and democracy in Nigeria. He is the Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC). He is recognised as the first Nigerian to establish human right organisation.

Nwankwo was born in 1962 in Lagos. He received early education at Baptist Primary School, Apapa, Lagos from 1970 to 1974. Nwankwo left Lagos for then Eastern Province and was enrolled in Methodist College, Uzuakoli, (now in Imo State) where he had his secondary education between 1974 and 1979. In 1980, Nwankwo was admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and graduated in 1984 with a Law degree. He proceeded to Nigerian Law School, Lagos graduating in 1985 and was subsequently called to the Nigeria Bar same year.