By Don Peter Okoro (0803 138 6142).
Nigeria is fast approaching another Election season. As a matter of fact, the date for the 2023 General Election has been fixed for Saturday, the 18th of February 2023, according to a statement from the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu during a One-Day Public Hearing on the National Electoral Offences Commission (Establishment) Bill 2021, organized by the Senate Committee on INEC.
As we gird our loins and put on our breastplate for yet another round of serious politicking, we should for once, look away from the major political parties and focus our attention on the Fringe or what is commonly known as minority parties, if the paradigm shift we have all been pressing for is to be a reality.
First of all, what is a minority party? According to Wikipedia: “A Minority Party is a political party that plays a smaller role than a Major Party in a country’s politcs and election. The difference between a minor and major party can be so great that the membership total, donation and the Candidates that they are able to produce or attract are very distinct.”.
In other words, a minority party is a party whose electoral strength is so small that it will be very difficult, if not impossible to win a Federal Election, except in the rare case of protest votes.
In Nigeria, we have a good number of minority parties. Apart from the three major Parties of APC, PDP and APGA, the rest, numbering over 50 can be described as Fringe Parties. Though some of these minority parties have won a few Seats in National and State Houses of Assembly, they will not be able to make much impact unless they do the needful.
For the avoidance of doubt, let us take a look at some of the minority Political Parties that have won elections in Nigeria, they are: African Democratic Congress, which has three members in the House of Representatives, Young Progressives Party which has a Senator, Action Alliance which has two House of Representatives members, Peoples Redemption Party also has two members in the Lower Chamber, while the following have one member each in the House of Representatives, Action Democratic Party, Allied Peoples Movement, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party. While a few of the other parties like PPA have won one election or the other in the past, right now the over 50 others are in limbo, having won nothing
What can the Fringe Parties do to engender relevance and create impact in the General Election? The first line of action, is of course, is to create more awareness and embark on aggressive mass sensitization and mobilization. This, however, may not be feasible given their lean resources. So, about the only viable option is to align. For instance, four or five Political Parties can choose to form an Alliance and present a consensus Candidate. Without forming an alliance, there is no way any of the minority political parties can make a headway. This is what gave the APC victory during the last Presidential election when a coalition of ANPP, a faction of APGA and other groups and organizations teamed up to dislodge the then incumbent PDP Government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Without that alliance there is no way any of those parties on their own independent basis would have won the election.
If the Fringe Parties want to make a way for themselves in this forthcoming 2023 General Election, the best way to go is to start aligning, with a view to forming a coalition and presenting a common figure as their Consensus Presidential Candidate. It is not compulsory for such a Candidate to be a member of any of the Fringe Political Parties. All they need to do is to mount on a searchlight to fish out the most cerebral, most politically sagacious and most popular Youngman in the country. A man who is digitally inclined and abreast of modern trend and innovations. And we have a handful of such men around. People like Dele Momodu, Pat Utomi and Pastor Chris Okotie, are all Nigerians blessed with the necessary mental, emotional and intellectual acumen needed to govern a complex country like Nigeria. If this country falls into the hands of the aforementioned men, there will be a 360 degree turnaround and all these shenanigans will stop.
Nigeria is in need of fresh minds and fresh ideas. The only way out is for the Minority Parties to come together and form a strong alliance and present a common candidate, a candidate who is politically untainted, a person of sane mind and sound moral rectitude. An achiever who has distinguished himself in his field of endeavors. A Presidential Candidate who is totally detached from the odious past and ready to chart a new course for the betterment of the country and her long-suffering citizens.
This is what is needed now and no amount of sacrifice is too much. It happened in the United States of America; it happened in Britain, it happened in Canada. It can happen in Nigeria. If we don’t take this type of pragmatic step, our best will continue to be spectators in hard games of governance. I rest my case.
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