Nwosu advocates 2-party system

19.03.2008

Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu has advocated an “integrative two-party system’’ for Nigeria.

He said in a paper presented at a one-day retreat on Monday in Sokoto that the two parties should look like the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).

The retreat was organised for the national chairmen of 50 registered political parties by Abuja Press and Communications Ltd. and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Nwosu said that the suggestion became imperative as the current political parties “are not generally driven by shared democratic values and principles.”

“The party, which controls the Federal Government and 28 state governments, has acquired the dominant features of one party state,’’ he said, adding that the emergence of a two-party system would eliminate the consideration of regional interest over the national interest.

According to Prof. Nwosu, “both parties should be funded by the government to eliminate god-fatherism and the emergence of a strong one party system.”

However, he said the law should not forbid the existence of a third or fourth party and that INEC should be reformed and restructured.

He also said that INEC staff known to have been involved in electoral malpractices should be removed, while others should be thoroughly screened, re-oriented and re-focused to ensure loyalty and commitment.