A prerequisite for democracy is periodic elections in which leaders are chosen to exercise executive powers on behalf of the people. In Nigeria’s brand of democracy as in many nations’, elections are in two stages: the shadow or primary elections limited to the political parties in which candidates are picked to fly the flags of the parties, and the general elections in which the generality of the electorate within a delineated constituency elect leaders from among the candidates fielded by the political parties. This is more so that the Electoral Act stipulates that a person does not stand election in Nigeria unless such is sponsored by a political party. By this, the parties have the sole powers to present candidates for elections.

IN advanced democracies, political parties are a product of and driven by ideology which forms the basis for their membership, funding, manifestoes and general operations. Thus, party supremacy and discipline are upheld. However, the reverse seems to be the case in Nigeria as party system is fluid and flexible with no clear cut ideology thereby giving rise to similarity in membership, funding, manifestoes and general operations despite distinctiveness in names and insignias. That is the reason politicians find it easy to migrate and blend across parties in their search for winning elections. Despite the above, political parties still wield enormous powers in Nigeria as they produce the sole platform for politicians to stand elections.

NIGERIA’S  elections became staggered in the current Fourth Republic due to court decisions which removed some governors and replaced them after a long legal battle thus paving way for what is now termed off-cycle elections in some states. Ondo is one of those states whose governorship elections come at season different from the general elections of electing the president, national and state assembly members. Precisely, residents of the Sunshine State will be going to polls this year to elect their governor on November 16 according to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In preparation for the November election in Ondo State, INEC has fixed April 6-27 as the period within which political parties shall hold their primaries to pick their flag bearers. To this end, 16 aspirants—14 males and 2 females—have picked the nomination forms of the ruling APC at N50million and N10million each while eight aspirants have picked up that of the PDP at a cost of N40million each. Other parties are also warming up for the exercise.

FOR  a successful exercise, The Hope urges political parties willing to participate in the governorship election to uphold the ideals of democracy in their mode of primaries whether by consensus, delegate system or direct mode as provided in the Electoral Act. Political parties should up their game and allow internal democracy to thrive and ensure that their primaries produce the best of candidates. This is because the quality of the candidates they throw up will definitely determine the quality of the eventual winner as the next governor of the Sunshine State. The citizens, no doubt, deserve the best of the lot to pick from at the general elections.

WE, therefore, call on parties and their members to countenance personality values, interests, capacity, track records, and integrity of the aspirants in picking their candidates instead of relying on the financial muscles of the individuals. Money has not really helped our democracy; therefore, the parties should not offer their tickets to the highest bidders. The founding and funding of political parties should reside with the people as obtained during the First republic as against the practice of godfathers and moneybags high jacking the party machinery.

DELEGATES, leaders, officials, and the entire members of the parties depending on their mode of primary should take the process seriously and ensure they produce credible and acceptable primaries that will be devoid of rancour and litigation.  They should make it peaceful by not allowing thuggery and violence to mess it up bearing in mind that their candidates will still face the general electorate at the November polls. The citizens, no doubt, have a choice among the candidates presented by the parties. Therefore, no party can afford to take the citizens for granted in this regard.

FOR primaries to be peaceful and successful, security agencies play a pivotal role; ditto the electoral umpire. We therefore call on INEC and security agencies to be neutral, professional, firm and focused before, during and after the primaries. They should not give in to the antics of politicians but rather check their excesses. Politicians should be reminded that elections will come and go and the state remains. They should therefore put the interest of the state above their personal and primordial interests and play by the rules rather making the elections a do or die affair.