Salihu Lukman, director-general of the Progressives
Governors Forum (PGF), says the leadership of all political parties in the
country is backward.
In a statement on Sunday, Lukman said politicians aspiring
to hold office recruit members who are loyal to them, and with this influence
direct the affairs of the party.
The director-general said this is made possible because they
are wealthy and are able to meet the financial needs of political parties.
“The disconnect however is that although progress is made to
enhance the processes of election management in the country, management of
political parties remains very backward,” he said.
“The practice across
all Nigerian parties is that political leaders aspiring to contest elections
for political offices recruit members. The aspiring political leader influences
choices of party leaders based on estimation of loyalty.
“The loyalists who emerge as political leaders in turn
become delegates during party primary for the selection of candidates for
election, who then confirm the aspiring political leader as the party’s
candidate for election.
“Once an aspirant has strong financial capability, he/she
then controls the party. Such a person would then proceed to appoint loyalists
to serve as party officials.
“Issues of membership
and participation in political activities, including holding party positions
and appointments into governments controlled by the party, are restricted to
close associates and supporters, while professional management of the party and
disciplinary conduct of members are conveniently ignored.”
Lukman said funding issues of political parties must be
addressed.
“A strong corollary here is the issue of party funding? How
are political parties being funded? In other words, are members contributing to
the party’s finances?,” he said.
“Are they aware of all the sources and size of contributions?
Once party funding is defined such that minimum resources needed to run party
affairs are generated, remuneration and conditions of services for party
leaders at all levels should be similarly defined.
“Part of the
recommendation should be to benchmark party conditions of service with existing
conditions of public service.
“For instance, the national chairman of the party could have
the same remuneration and conditions as the vice-president of the federal
republic of Nigeria as provided in the 1999 constitution as amended and other
relevant provisions of other statutory bodies.”
The director-general commended the senate for empowering the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the mode of
transmission of election results.
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