Godfatherism destroying Nigeria’s democracy — Northern Groups

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has identified Godfatherism and lack of internal democracy as some of the factors bedeviling the country’s democratic process.

Its Spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, stated this yesterday, at the Benue State Edition of the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series organized by the Students Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).

Suleiman, who was the guest speaker, said, “Godfatherism, and lack of internal party democracy have become the major factors working against democratic consolidation in Nigeria by the PDP and APC which are plagued by internal wrangling, littered with factions, stink of corruption and mired in leadership crises.

“And while PDP remains one of the parties in Nigeria where lack of internal democracy is highly visible, the way the APC becomes enmeshed in intra-party conflicts at all levels of government and its institutions barely six years into its emergence is also worrisome.”

He lamented that despite the high hopes Nigerians had upon the arrival of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the leadership of the party, dashed the hopes of citizens.

“About nine years after, the expectations of some Nigerians that a better administered party had arrived appear to have sunk. The ruling APC has been grappling with some issues at the national and state levels as its national convention and 2023 elections beckon,” he said.

On his part, the lead paper presenter, Dr Nyor Gabriel Azah of the Benue State University, said the well being of any political system was dependent on sincerity, fairness, equality and other ingredients that ensure cooperation among the citizenry.

He noted that the Nigerian political culture during colonial time was bedevilled through divide and rule, propagation of ethnic dominance, political deception and manoeuvring, enthronement of ethnic and religious sentiments.

“Political parties even after independence were formed on ethnic basis with desire of ensuring democratic ethnos, rather led a foundations that today’s political parties are formed on the same basis with a lot of damaging effects to our polity.

“In this case we are going to highlight the consequences of lack of internal democracy in Nigerian political parties,” he said.

He attributed cross-carpeting, proliferation of political parties with no ideologies; endless criminal and social unrests, political violence, religious and ethnic clashes, legitimacy crises, poverty increase and underdevelopment, to the absence internal party democracy.

In, addition, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem of the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, urged the students to demand accountability of government and to imbibe the culture of speaking truth to power.

Iormem encouraged students to participate in the electoral process for the selection of future leadership by making deliberate and rational choices.

(Daily Sun)