Poll: Don advocates institutionalised party system in Nigeria
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Prof. Sylvester Akhaine of Lagos State University, has charged Nigerian Politicians to build enduring institutionalised party system with long history.
Akhaine, a Professor of Political Science gave the charge in a research report on ‘Youth Political Participation In Lagos”, launched by Yiaga Africa with the support of UKaid.
He noted that political parties remained the engine room of democracy therefore, they needed to be rejuvenated.
He said: “Nigeria does not have institutionalised political parties that are enduring with a long history. What we have are “Special Purpose Vehicle” that are called political parties.
“Elsewhere, like Senegal, party socialists have a party school where party members are trained and taken through the ideology of the party.
“They are trained about policies and programmes that the party intend to implement for the development of the country after which certificates are awarded.
“This makes them better party members and induces in them, discipline that comes with being a member of a political party.
“We don’t have political parties in Nigeria, rather, what we have are ad-hoc, that is why politicians easily move from one party to the other.”
The don, therefore, advised politicians to build institutionalised political parties such that it would be enduring.
“You cannot talk about Action Group, National Party of Nigeria, National Republican Convention among others which are no longer in existence.
“After the 2023 general elections, some of the political parties will fizzle out while new ones will later spring up.
“In a democracy, that does not give room for development because the party remains the engine room of democracy.
“Politicians should stop the habit of moving up and down from one party to the other.
“We need to be serious and institutional in approach in order to develop our political parties and democracy by extension
“In essence , Post 2023, politicians should not defect to parties that won the election but stay with their parties and build them.
he said.
(NAN)
