Atiku Abubakar, a politician and businessman, has stated that elected officials who decamp to other political parties must resign their seats in order to avoid breaking party rules.
He addressed a panel discussion on the topic of bolstering democracy in Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC), the Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), and the National Peace Committee (NPC).
He believes that members who disobey party rules must be punished.
He added that electoral malpractice should not be tolerated and should not be subject to debate or discussion when it occurs.
“These are necessary for political integrity”. He added.
He cited the coalition agreement as a reminder that opposition parties must be aware that a governing party’s popularity and populist dissatisfaction are extremely difficult to dislodge despite how unpopular it may be.
“Coalition-building and outright mergers are crucial for enhancing the opposition’s capacity to achieve that goal,” said the author.  , Our own history and examples from other countries prove that”, he added.
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He argued that strong political parties, particularly opposition ones, cannot sustain democracy.
“Parties must be able to fulfill their roles by being strong and democratic.” The antithesis of democracy is the party ownership or party subordination to individual big men.
” Party supremacy is critical. However, the current funding model for our parties won’t guarantee party supremacy.
He claimed that the use of governors and a select few wealthy people as funding is not democratic.
” As we know, he who pays the piper dictates the tune. Funding must be democratised. Members must invest in and co-own parties.
“When people start from the point of view that” Tinubu is rich or Peter Obi is rich or Atiku is rich, so I don’t have to contribute”, they surrender to the big man’s dominance of parties.
” In more effective democracies, parties and candidates raise funds from the mass of members and supporters. “
He urged people to make political investments to support their choices.
” When people invest in something, they tend to be more engaged with it. So, our people, especially party members need to be enlightened.
Source: Channels TV
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