From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has demanded that annual grant to political parties earlier expunged from the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, be restored.
Its National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, at a summit organised by the African Democratic Party (ADC), in Kaduna, yesterday, said the funds would strengthen political parties.
He noted that most party politics were fragile, structures weak and factionalised, while leadership disputes are frequent as executives at ward, local government, state and national levels dissipate energy more in conspiring to remove their leaders than in building their parties’ structures that will further deepen the nation’s democracy.
“Funds are required to build strong structures. This explains why IPAC demands the restoration of annual grants to political parties earlier expunged from the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
“Today, our party politics is fragile, the structures are weak and factionalised, leadership disputes are frequent as political parties executives at ward, local government, state and national levels dissipate energy more in conspiring to remove their leaders than in building their parties’ structures that will further deepen the nation’s democracy.
“This is prevalent at Ward level where officials will wake up one morning and announce the suspension of the party’s national chairman or whoever stands in their way.
“With the number of leaders of political parties present in this Submit, I have no doubt that it is a new dawn in party politics in Nigeria.
“Going forward, all the political parties in Nigeria will see the need to build strong, solid, formidable structures that will attract more citizens to their parties in the quest for a virile, progressive, prosperous and equitable democratic nation.”
According to him, the leadership of IPAC has developed a four-year strategic plan of action from 2024 – 2027 to strengthen political parties’ structures, foster capacity building of leaders of political parties, instill internal democracy in party management particularly, in nomination of candidates for elections and change of leaderships in accordance with the provisions of their constitutions.
“This will drastically reduce crises, factions and litigations in political parties,” he said.
He demanded the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission to prosecute electoral offenders to serve as a deterrent to others who may consider such heinous crimes against the fatherland.
It also called for the autonomy of local governments as the third tier of government closest to the people.
“It is evident that politics is local. Citizens should be encouraged to participate actively in grassroots politics. It is one way of deepening democracy in Nigeria.
“IPAC demands the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC). The enormous powers and influence of state governors affect the independent status of this commission nationwide.
“The charade called elections conducted by SIECs make mockery of the nation’s democratic process. It retards the growth of political parties that are not in government despite having grassroots support.
“IPAC will present its comprehensive Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments proposal to the National Assembly for consideration and inclusion in the ongoing review of laws.”