The adoption of African Democratic Congress (ADC) by Nigeria’s opposition coalition as its platform to contest the 2027 general election has aptly demonstrated that Nigeria will not slide into one-party state as earlier feared in some quarters. It is a welcome development for the growth of our democracy and political inclusion. Despite what may be the seeming initial challenges of the ADC coalition, Nigerians would expect those behind it to offer alternative ideas in enhancing good governance in the country. They must intentionally strive to provide the much-needed credible opposition and also offer constructive criticisms.
The opposition coalition came at a time many Nigerians had expressed fears that the country was sliding to one-party state. The apprehension was informed by the deepening crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), coupled with the massive defections of some prominent members of the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Former Senate President, David Mark, and ex-governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, have been named the ADC interim National Chairman and Secretary, respectively. Other political heavyweights behind the coalition include Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi and others.
As usual, the ruling APC has dismissed the coalition opposition and described them in unprintable epithets including a gathering of power mongers, strange bedfellows, political IDPs and others. This notwithstanding, it is rather too early for the APC to either dismiss the coalition or underrate them. It is worth pointing out that our nascent democracy can only be nurtured in a multi-party political system, and in an atmosphere of plurality of views.
In a federation like ours with multi-ethnic groups, cultures and faiths, efforts should be made to encourage opposition parties instead of stifling them. This might have informed President Bola Tinubu’s recent dismissal of the likelihood of Nigeria degenerating to one-party state during his June 12 Democracy Day address. Therefore, the emergence of ADC coalition is a necessary step towards ensuring that the nation will not drift to one-party state.
Democracy without a virile opposition will drift to autocracy. Opposition political parties make democracy work. They provide the barometer with which the activities of the ruling party are measured. Democracy thrives in an atmosphere of multi-party system. The parties in power need the criticisms from the opposition to be on their toes and offer good governance to the people. The opposition offers the alternative voice on how the system should work.
When the opposition is referred to as government-in-waiting, it is because of its ability to provide the alternative viewpoint. In the Western world especially in the parliamentary system, the leading opposition political party, forms shadow government which analyses actions and programmes of the party in power and offers alternative viewpoints. Nigeria needs a strong and robust opposition to keep the system working optimally.
The achievements recorded in Nigeria’s First and Second Republics were essentially on account of the vibrancy of the opposition led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others. Instructively, the President had been in the opposition before. He knows the importance of having a virile opposition in politics. For a complex society as Nigeria, robust opposition party is needed to check the excesses of the ruling party.
ADC should play the role of credible alternative and hold the ruling party in check through its analyses and criticisms of government policies and programmes. Let the criticisms be constructive, objective and purpose-driven. More than the euphoria of the emergence of the coalition, the group should be focused.
Let the party have the interest of Nigerians at heart. ADC should be democratic in the conduct of its internal affairs. It should adhere to the principle of power rotation between the North and South. There is need for level playing field for all the members and in its activities. We urge the ADC and other opposition political parties to play politics of conviction and enthrone internal democracy in their activities.
The government should avoid any moves seen as causing confusion or instigating crisis within the ADC or other opposition parties. It is good that President Tinubu has dismissed the possibility of Nigeria becoming one-party state, arguing rightly that such agenda is a threat to democracy and the nation’s political heritage. We urge him to walk the talk. The federal government should allow all political parties to function effectively. There should be no attempt to stifle the opposition. To widen the political space and deepen our democracy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should register more political parties.
The post ADC and need for virile opposition appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
