Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have tackled the culture of defections and lack of political party ideology among Nigerian politicians.
The discussion occurred during the public presentation of the book: “Nigeria’s Journey to Democratic Rule” written by veteran journalist, Onyekachi Eze-Odezulu on Wednesday in Abuja.
Speaking on the situation, former Governor of Kano State and erstwhile national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje bemoaned the absence of clear philosophies, programmes, and policy directions that distinguish one political party from another, adding that, at the moment, “there is no clear boundary, there is no clear margin between one party and another as far as ideological area is concerned.”
“Unfortunately, the absence of strong ideological foundations has over the years weakened our politics.
“Incorrect reflections based on personal interests rather than principles have made it more difficult for citizens by identifying clear political alternatives.
“Strengthening internal democracy and promoting issue-based politics will undoubtedly deepen our democratic culture and enhance public confidence in the political process.” he added.
Ganduje, who is the current chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said democracy is more than the conduct of elections every four years, but must be built on enduring principles like the rule of law, respect for constitutional order, an independent and credible electoral body, vibrant political parties that practise internal democracy, a secure environment that allows citizens to participate freely in the political process and elections that are free, fair, and credible.
“As we continue to strengthen our democratic institutions, these pillars must remain tightly protected because they are the foundation of political stability, national unity, and sustainable development.”
Similarly, the publicity secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nigeria is only operating a civil rule, and not democracy as some of the players do not have democratic mindset.
He said the journey to democracy is still a long way to go as the National Assembly is like a baby with a feeding bottle, being pampered, while out of 36 governors, 32 have migrated to the ruling party and are singing on your mandate “we shall stand.”
For his part, the chairman of the occasion, former Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al Makura, noted that Nigeria has witnessed remarkable progress in its democracy, especially by evolving from entirely manual process to use of technology in elections, despite its challenges.
Al Makura, who was represented by a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Makpa Mala, said: “Yet, within this short period, our electoral system has witnessed remarkable progress, evolving from entirely manual processes to the deployment of technology in voter accreditation, result management, and electoral administration.
“One significant milestone was the recent inclusion of Section 60 of Section 3 of the Electoral Act 2026, which empowers the INEC to adopt both electronic and manual methods in the management of election results. This represents another important step in the continuous evolution of our electoral system.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris described the book as a tool for public education and enlightenment, coming at a time the country needs proper perspective on the movement from military rule to democratic governance, as well as providing details on efforts made which are necessary reference material for research works, particularly for the future generation.
