By: Mercy Peter
Former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and the Chairman, Independent National Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu have advocated for party supremacy as the foundation for credible elections in the country.
Abubakar called for a return to foundational party principles such as: supremacy of party leadership to curb factionalism.
On his part, Yakubu urged political parties to allow for internal democracy, arguing that internal party democracy is the foundation upon which credible general elections are built.
The duo spoke during the launch of a historic book “100 Years of Political Parties Evolution in Nigeria: The Imperative of Nigeria’s Political Stability – Issues and Solutions”.
The event, was organized by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Abuja, highlighting Nigeria’s democratic journey and the challenges ahead.
The book, chronicles the nation’s political trajectory from the formation of its first party in 1923 to the present day.
Yakubu said a lot of responsibility lies
with the political parties to ensure that electoral outcomes, ultimately reflect the
aspiration of the people.
Yakubu underscored the imperative of political stability, internal party democracy, and electoral reforms, saying that political parties remains the oxygen of Nigeria’s political system.
He also stressed the irreplaceable role of political parties in elections
He said there is the need for political parties to
critically interrogate their conduct in the following areas:
“The Need for Internal Party Democracy
One of the key responsibilities of political parties is the conduct of credible primary
elections. Internal party democracy is the foundation upon which credible general
elections are built. Effective leadership recruitment is made possible only when eligible
persons with capacity are selected through duly conducted party primaries and put up
for elections.
When political parties uphold democratic principles in their internal
processes.it enhances public confidence in the electoral system and strengthens
democratic governance.
“Unfortunately, we have witnessed instances where lack of internal democracy has led
to disputes, litigations, and disruptions in the electoral process. It is, therefore,
imperative that political parties remain committed to transparent, fair, and credible
primaries. As we move towards future elections, I urge all political parties to strengthen their internal governance mechanisms and ensure that their processes reflect the will of their members.
A democratic society begins with democratic political parties.
Political parties must invest in building strong and law-abiding institutions with distinct
ideological leanings, rather than in installing behemoths.
“The Need for Electoral Reforms
No democracy is perfect; it is a continuous journey of reform and improvement. As an
electoral management body, INEC is committed to ensuring that our electoral processes remain credible, transparent, and inclusive. However, certain areas of our electoral framework require urgent reforms to enhance the integrity of our elections and address emerging challenges.
“To this end, the Commission is already in consultation with the National Assembly
Committee’s on Electoral Matters to organize a retreat where areas requiring urgent
reforms will be deliberated upon.
We recognize that electoral reforms are not the sole
responsibility of INEC or the National Assembly alone. Political parties, civil society
organizations, and all well-meaning Nigerians must actively support and advocate for
necessary legislative amendments that will strengthen our democracy and make it
much more inclusive.
“I, therefore, challenge IPAC and all political actors here today to champion these
reforms, advocate for laws that enhance the credibility of our elections and work
collectively towards an electoral system that is fair, just, and representative.
“As we reflect on a century of political party evolution in Nigeria, it is evident that more
gains will be recorded in a milieu of strict adherence to provisions of the constitution,
guidelines and regulations for political parties: active engagement, effective
collaborative endeavours in areas such as conducting result-oriented voter education
for increased citizen participation, promoting constructive dialogue, and the
commitment of all electoral stakeholders to chart a course for values orientation.”
Gen. Abubakar on his part hailed Nigeria’s resilience despite past military interventions.
“Democracy has come to stay,” he declared, emphasizing that “when leaders are patriotic, passionate, and resolute in building strong institutions, democracy flourishes.”
He urged stakeholders to nurture democratic values, citing ongoing constitutional and electoral reforms to address systemic flaws.
“There is no alternative to civil rule,” he asserted, praising IPAC for documenting Nigeria’s political evolution as a guide for future generations.
Abubakar said: In the cause of your deliberations, I would also like you to consider some of the past practices in party democracy which are currently being downplayed by political players. Some of these are Supremacy of the party leadership, Adherence to party manifestoes and Formation of party and membership based on ideology. “
Speaking on democratic journey so far in the country, the former military ruler said: “Despite military interventions, democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. There is no substitute to the government of the people, by the people and for the people, which democracy represents as sovereignty resides with the people.
“This year will also make it 26 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria, the longest period of constitutional governance since 1st
October 1960, when the country got Independence from the British colonial masters.
“I am happy that my government, as the then military Head of State ushered in this era of democracy when I handed over power to the elected President on 29th May 1999. My government laid this solid foundation for democratic governance. It also shows that when leaders are patriotic, passionate, resolute and unwavering in building strong democratic structures and institutions, democracy could flourish and yield its dividends to citizens.
“We should therefore keep watering and nurturing the tree of democracy as there is no alternative to civil rule. Our democracy has been tested and shaken by reactionary forces and survived. It is a testament to citizen’s belief and resilience in representative governance.
“It has become expedient to explore political parties’ development priorities so as to consolidate the nation’s democracy and ensure an environment conducive for successful elections and political stability which is in tandem with the IPAC mandate.
“We have all learned a lot in this longest period of democracy in Nigeria, as we continue the ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments to correct obvious flaws in the electoral process and imbibe democratic ideals, ethics and values, the nation will yet again witness sustainable democracy and development.”
