Mixed reactions on Tuesday continued to trail a call by former Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, for a return to a two-party system in Nigeria.
Politicians and activists were divided on the need for the country to operate the system.
Nwosu said on May 31 in Abuja that the current multi-party system posed a threat to the nation’s unity.
He said that a two-party system would foster national integration.
Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) in the 2011 elections, Prof. Pat Utomi, said that a two-party system was best for Nigeria.
“I have always supported the idea of a two- party system for Nigeria,’’ he said.
He suggested the dissolution of the existing parties to pave way for two new ones.
Utomi said: “We need two brand new political parties. The present arrangement is not working.
“We need just two, with the main objective of rendering service to the people.’’
Lagos State Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Henry Ajomale, also endorsed a two-party system for the country’s democracy.
“During the days of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC), Nigeria had a peaceful polity.
“Rivalry among the two parties was not bitter; members of the two parties accepted defeat in good faith,” he said.
According to him, coordination of two parties poses fewer problems to Nigeria’s electoral bodies than multiple parties.
“The present arrangement of multiple parties is cumbersome. It also encourages rigging,” he added.
However, the All Progressive Grand Alliance National Chairman, Chief Maxi Okwu, disagreed, saying that a two-party structure would restrict the choices of the members of the electorate.
“It is not in tune with liberal democracy. Nigeria may have two major political platforms and other smaller political parties.
“It should not be imposed on the people; it should be allowed to evolve naturally and not by fiat,” he said.
Also, spokesman for the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Mr Yinka Odumakin, described the call as undemocratic.
According to him, the two-party system created in 1991 by the administration of General. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) collapsed because they were not done democratically.
“Britain and America have two major political parties, but other parties still exist for certain reasons.
“It is not good for our democratic experience to reduce our political parties to two,’’ he said.
The South-West Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Mr Austin Nnorom, also said that a two-party system was not good for a nation such as Nigeria with different ethnic nationalities.
“A two-party structure cannot work here; we should continue with the current multi-party system,’’ he said.
